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India’s prosthetics and orthotics sector is expanding, supported by a growing network of training institutes, rehabilitation centres, manufacturers and research organisations. However, industry leaders say greater collaboration, stronger domestic demand and a larger trained workforce will be critical to making advanced prosthetic care more accessible, particularly in underserved areas.
According to Dr MC Dash, national president, Orthotics & Prosthetics Association of India (OPAI), India has emerged as a major hub for prosthetic and orthotic care, driven by the country’s large population of amputees and people living with conditions such as paralysis, paraplegia and polio.
“From a treatment and rehabilitation point of view, India is one of the best centres. We are also receiving patients from abroad because of the cost advantage. India is now becoming a medical tourism hub for prosthetics and orthotics,” he said.
Dr. Dash noted that the sector has witnessed significant development since 2000. According to him, India now has around 12 teaching institutes and 16 postgraduate institutes offering education in prosthetics and orthotics.
The ecosystem extends beyond private providers. Defence establishments, the Railways, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), other central government healthcare institutions and state government facilities also operate rehabilitation centres and prosthetic and orthotic units.
Driving Indigenous Prosthetic Manufacturing
While India’s prosthetics and orthotics industry is growing, Dr. Dash believes greater emphasis should be placed on developing and adopting indigenous products.
He encouraged manufacturers to collaborate with international companies, research institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop advanced prosthetic technologies.
Such collaborations, he said, can help manufacturers make better decisions around three critical areas: materials, design and the activity level for which a prosthetic device is intended.
Dr. Dash pointed out that one of the key challenges facing Indian manufacturers is insufficient demand, particularly because cheaper products from China are widely available.
“Manufacturers need buyers for their products. If there is no market or demand, how can they invest in production? Many buyers choose cheaper products from China, which makes it difficult for Indian manufacturers to compete,” he said.
He believes Indian companies need to compete by developing technologically advanced products while keeping them affordable.
Dr. Dash cited the example of Tata Group, which previously developed a prosthetic knee joint and conducted several cyclic tests, including trials involving around 60 cases in collaboration with the Artificial Limb Centre in Pune. However, production was discontinued after four or five years because of insufficient demand.
“Demand and supply are therefore very important factors in developing and sustaining indigenous prosthetic products,” he said.
He urged prosthetic and orthotic users to consider indigenous products and provide manufacturers with feedback based on their experiences. Such feedback, he said, can help identify shortcomings and enable companies and technologists to improve their products.
“Feedback from users is essential to bridge the gap between manufacturers and patients’ needs,” he said.
Dr Dash also called on media professionals, clinicians and other healthcare professionals to play a greater role in promoting indigenous prosthetic solutions.
“Many people continue to live without a prosthetic limb, relying on crutches. First of all, we need to convince them to use prostheses. Second, encourage them to go to government hospitals and rehabilitation centres to get quality products,” he said.
He highlighted the role of the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), which has established around 100 centres across the country, with almost 90% of its products manufactured domestically.
Building a Larger Prosthetics Workforce
Beyond affordability, a shortage of trained professionals remains another barrier to prosthetic adoption, particularly in tier II and tier III cities.
Kavinder Beniwal, COO, Motorica India, said rehabilitation needs to be guided by clinicians who understand the patient’s condition and requirements.
“Capacity building is important because today, in India, the total number of prosthetists is around 5,000 to 5,500, while the need is much greater,” he said.
Although teaching hospitals have started offering prosthetics-related courses, Beniwal believes additional training pathways are needed to address the workforce gap.
Beniwal said Motorica India is collaborating with OPAI to create a diploma course focused on capacity building, especially in tier II and tier III cities.
“We are looking at developing a diploma course because not everyone can pursue a degree or master’s degree, which can take three to five years. We will train Class 12 pass-outs through a one-year skill-building course and make them diploma holders, enabling them to handle the first- and second-line rehabilitation of patients,” Beniwal said.
Motorica India aims to develop a workforce of around 20,000 diploma holders who can operate in smaller towns and underserved locations.
Motorica has also launched its Motorica University education programme to train young biomedical engineers to become prosthetic engineers who can support patients with rehabilitation and fitting. The company plans to introduce additional programmes in the future.
Strengthening Government-Industry Collaboration
Beniwal also highlighted the need for closer collaboration between government agencies and private companies to expand access to prosthetic care.
“We are ready to go to the last mile and conduct camps. We can go to areas where these patients are located, including factories, villages and agricultural areas, organise camps and identify patients who need prosthetic care. After which the government can provide them reimbursement through an appropriate system,” he said.
Beniwal said while companies can also contribute through their CSR activities, there is a limit to what they can do. “For a sustainable model of healthcare intervention, the government needs to establish a reimbursement mechanism, identify the right patients and develop industry partnerships through which companies can support the government,” he said.
He also proposed a network of designated partner clinics. “Basic-level cases can be handled by government centres, but when it comes to advanced prosthetic solutions, private companies should also be brought into the system as partners,” Beniwal said.
Component Duties Remain an Area for Improvement
Beniwal said the regulatory environment for imports is relatively straightforward, with customs procedures becoming increasingly digitised. However, he pointed to component-level duties as an area where further improvements could be made.
“In terms of customs and other regulatory requirements, it’s a pretty fair system right now. However, the component-level duties are still relatively high, ranging from 5% to 12.5%. There is always room for improvement there.”
He added that companies do not currently face major challenges with imports, noting that clearly defined customs procedures and HSN code classifications have helped streamline the process.
India Targets Greater Domestic Production
Looking ahead, Dr. Dash expects the balance between domestic and imported prosthetic products to change significantly.
He estimates that around 70% of prosthetic products could be manufactured domestically within the next five years, compared with roughly 30% being imported. Currently, he said, the situation is the reverse.
According to Dr. Dash, India has capabilities in several components used to manufacture prosthetic limbs, including robot-based components, PU-based components and carbon materials. However, he believes greater collaboration among companies will be necessary to translate these capabilities into a stronger domestic manufacturing ecosystem.
He pointed to research hubs such as the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) in Visakhapatnam and R&D centres at several IITs as important platforms for developing prosthetic technologies.
“If the government provides financial support for R&D, I believe India can become self-reliant in this sector within five years,” he said.
Dr Dash also called for targeted government schemes offering financial and technological support to researchers and start-ups developing indigenous prosthetic products. He suggested funding R&D and providing opportunities for Indian developers to gain international technical expertise.
Market Poised for Growth
The Indian prosthetics and orthotics market is also expected to expand in the coming years.
According to Grand View Research, the Indian prosthetics and orthotics market generated USD 233.2 million in revenue in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 374.3 million by 2033, representing a CAGR of 6.1% between 2026 and 2033.
In 2025, India accounted for 3.4% of the global prosthetics and orthotics market by revenue, with orthotics emerging as the largest revenue-generating segment. Orthotics accounted for 62.01% of the market’s revenue in 2025.
Meanwhile, IMARC estimates that India’s prosthetics market will grow from USD 59.6 million in 2025 to USD 88.3 million by 2034, representing a CAGR of 4.33% during 2026–2034.
The report identifies road accidents, diabetes-related complications and vascular diseases as key factors contributing to the rising number of amputations and driving demand for prosthetic solutions.
