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The Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) will convene an invitation-only roundtable in New Delhi on 31 July 2026 to examine how India's evolving Free Trade Agreement (FTA) framework can strengthen the country's medical technology sector and improve access to advanced healthcare technologies. The discussion will bring together policymakers, diplomats, trade experts, regulators and industry leaders to assess the implications of recently concluded trade agreements, including the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the India–EU Free Trade Agreement. The forum will focus on trade implementation, regulatory cooperation, investment, supply chain resilience, technology transfer and manufacturing, while marking a decade of MTaI's engagement with India's MedTech ecosystem.
The Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) has announced that it will host a closed-door roundtable in New Delhi on 31 July 2026 to discuss the role of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in strengthening India's medical technology sector. The invitation-only event will bring together senior policymakers, diplomats, trade experts, regulators and industry representatives to examine how India's expanding network of trade agreements can support healthcare innovation, investment and patient access to advanced medical technologies.
The discussions come as India's FTA landscape continues to evolve following the implementation of the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on 15 July 2026 and the conclusion of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement earlier this year, which is expected to come into force in the near future. According to MTaI, the convergence of these agreements provides an opportunity to evaluate how trade frameworks can support the growth of India's MedTech industry.
The roundtable, themed "FTA Frameworks in an Evolving Global Order: Shaping the Healthcare Roadmap", will explore how modern trade agreements are extending beyond tariff reductions to include investment, regulatory cooperation, technology partnerships and resilient supply chains. The association stated that healthcare and medical technology have become increasingly important components of international trade policy, with greater emphasis on regulatory alignment and cross-border collaboration.
MTaI said the dialogue aims to develop an evidence-based roadmap for strengthening investor confidence in India's MedTech sector while encouraging foreign direct investment across research and development, manufacturing and workforce training. The discussions are also expected to focus on reducing supply chain vulnerabilities through closer coordination between trade policy and domestic industrial development.
Key agenda items include the implementation of tariff provisions through timely government notifications, simplified customs procedures and clearer product classification systems to enable businesses to access FTA benefits more efficiently. Participants will also discuss the removal of non-tariff barriers, including regulatory fragmentation, which the association believes can present greater challenges to trade than import duties.
Commenting on the initiative, Pavan Choudary, Chairman of MTaI, said trade policy and healthcare policy are becoming increasingly interconnected. He stated that effective FTA frameworks can support technology transfer, strengthen domestic manufacturing and improve access to advanced medical technologies for patients. He added that the roundtable is intended to generate practical recommendations that can assist policymakers in implementing these objectives.
The discussions will also examine regulatory cooperation through joint monitoring mechanisms, regulator-to-regulator engagement and dedicated dispute resolution processes aimed at encouraging investment, facilitating technology transfer and strengthening supply chains. The event forms part of a series of initiatives marking 10 years of MTaI, reflecting the association's continued engagement with industry, government and healthcare stakeholders.
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