ICMR Selects 7 Top Indian Hubs to Transform MedTech
The Indian Council of Medical Research has selected seven premier academic institutions to develop priority medical devices. Consequently, this strategic initiative aims to transform India's medical technology landscape. Currently, domestic hospitals rely heavily on expensive imported equipment. Therefore, this targeted initiative bridges critical healthcare gaps through indigenous innovation.
Key Centres Driving Priority Medical Devices
Seven top institutions will lead specific technological developments over the next five years. Specifically, IIT Bombay will engineer point-of-care diagnostic tools for primary healthcare delivery. Meanwhile, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham will innovate diagnostic and therapeutic technologies for ophthalmic and vascular conditions. Furthermore, researchers at IISc Bengaluru will pioneer advanced biomaterials and translational implants.
IIT Kharagpur will spearhead the PRAGATICAR centre focusing on frugal diagnostics and artificial intelligence. Additionally, IIT Delhi will operate the CAR-PATH centre for urgent applied healthcare technologies. At IIT Kanpur, investigators will develop ten distinct priority products across interdisciplinary engineering fields. Moreover, IIT Madras will host TARaNGaM to fast-track next-generation medical devices and diagnostics.
Addressing Unmet Clinical Needs Across Tiered Healthcare
To define national priorities, ICMR consulted clinicians across tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 healthcare facilities. As a result, experts curated a focused catalogue of approximately 100 high-priority medical technologies. Each chosen institution must develop eight to ten solutions from this comprehensive list. Importantly, the proposed portfolios balance low-risk monitoring gadgets with high-risk life-support devices.
ICMR will allocate up to fifteen crore rupees to each centre across five years. In addition, the framework mandates rigorous regulatory adherence to facilitate commercial adoption. Host institutions must also establish self-sustaining ecosystems that thrive beyond the initial grant period. Thus, participating hubs will cultivate specialized engineering talent for India's biomedical device industry.
Overcoming Translation Hurdles in Medical Technology
Translating laboratory discoveries into clinically validated commercial tools remains the central challenge for researchers. However, robust clinician-engineer collaboration will accelerate bench-to-bedside translation. Furthermore, early regulatory alignment ensures faster compliance with national medical device rules. Ultimately, successful domestic commercialisation will reduce medical import reliance and expand patient access nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why did ICMR launch the priority medical devices initiative?
ICMR launched this program to reduce foreign import reliance and accelerate affordable, indigenous healthcare solutions for unmet clinical needs.
Q2: Which institutions were selected under this ICMR program?
The selected centres comprise IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IISc Bengaluru, and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
Q3: How much funding will each research centre receive?
Each selected centre will receive up to fifteen crore rupees over five years to support product development and commercialization.
References
- ICMR picks 7 centres to develop priority medical devices, diagnostics - ETHealthworld
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Special Call for Proposals for Establishment of ICMR Centre for Advanced Research (CAR) for the Development of Priority Medical Devices and Diagnostic Technologies. New Delhi: ICMR; 2026.
- Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS), Division of Innovation & Translational Research. Overview of Indigenous MedTech Initiatives. New Delhi: ICMR; 2026.
