In a significant boost to the Make in India initiative, Union Minister of Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari inaugurated one of India's largest medical equipment and hematology reagent manufacturing units by HORIBA India in Butibori, Nagpur, on Saturday. The facility, which is the largest of its kind in India, is operated by the Japan-headquartered HORIBA Group and represents the company's third manufacturing unit in the country.

Gadkari emphasized the importance of adopting new technologies in India, noting the country's rapid economic growth and its suitability for development due to the availability of trained manpower and young talent. The new facility, which represents an investment of Rs 200 crore, is expected to serve over 30,000 diagnostic labs and hospitals across India.

The inauguration event was also attended by Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who highlighted the rapid growth of India's medical devices sector. He pointed out that India, which was previously a net importer of medical devices, has now become a significant exporter, with exports in the sector reaching around USD 10 billion and an annual growth rate of approximately 10 percent. Fadnavis also noted India's rising status as a medical tourism destination, ranking tenth among the world's 27 medical tourism hotspots.

The new facility in Nagpur covers 50,000 square meters and includes production units for blood diagnostics, clinical chemistry equipment, and medical consumables (reagents). This development underscores India's growing capability and infrastructure in the medical equipment manufacturing sector.