Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone school partnerships create new health technology jobs in Visakhapatnam

India spends $7 billion every year to buy medical tools from other countries. The Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone is now training 6,500 people to make these tools at home to save money and create jobs.
By Newsroom | Health Technology, Andhra Pradesh |

The Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) is changing its role from a simple manufacturing park to a center for learning and global cooperation. Recent agreements with international and local schools show a plan to create a large group of skilled workers for the medical device industry. This move comes as India tries to stop buying expensive medical tools from other countries and start making them at home. The stakes are high because the country currently spends about 7 billion dollars every year on imported medical equipment. By training more people and building better labs, leaders hope to save billions of dollars and make Visakhapatnam a key spot for health technology in the world.

Between August and December 2025, the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) signed several important agreements to grow its reach. These partnerships involve schools from Australia and India, focusing on different parts of healthcare technology.

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  • International Connection: The University of Western Australia (UWA) opened its first India Centre in Visakhapatnam. This partnership focuses on medical technology and how to protect and use the ocean’s resources.

  • Management and Policy: The International Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) in Delhi joined AMTZ to teach students about how to run health systems and manage the supply of medical tools.

  • Local Skills: The Indian Biomedical Skill Consortium (IBSC) continues to work within the zone to give workers official certificates for their skills.

"The rapid change in healthcare technology means we must keep teaching our workers new skills. We want to build careers that are recognized everywhere in the world." — Naresh Kumar Nitturi, National Coordinator, IBSC-AMTZ.

Verified Growth and Training Data

The following data shows the current reach of the training programs and the physical growth of the zone as of late 2025.

MetricCurrent Status / Numbers
Trained IndividualsOver 6,500 candidates
Certified ProfessionalsOver 3,500 (NSQF-aligned)
School Partnerships (MoUs)200 institutions across India
Incubated Startups150+ through the Medivalley hub
Manufacturing Units150+ units for devices and diagnostics
Core Financial GoalReduce import bill by 35-40% ($2.5–3 billion saved yearly)

Global Research and Ocean Safety

The partnership with the University of Western Australia (UWA) adds a new layer to the work in Visakhapatnam. While the main goal is health technology, the two groups are also looking at "Underwater Domain Awareness." This means using technology to monitor the sea.

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  • The UWA India Centre serves as a home for joint research and teaching.

  • It links the AMTZ with Australia’s defense and security experts.

  • Does this mix of medical work and maritime security suggest that Visakhapatnam is becoming a dual-purpose hub for both health and regional safety?

  • The collaboration aims to help students move between India and Australia for better learning.

Specialized Training for Health Systems

While some groups focus on making machines, the IIHMR-Delhi partnership focuses on the "business" and "rules" of healthcare. Making a medical device is only half the job; the other half is making sure it follows laws and reaches the people who need it.

  • Regulatory Affairs: Teaching students the rules they must follow to sell medical tools.

  • Supply Chain: Learning how to move parts and finished tools quickly and safely.

  • Technology Commercialization: Helping inventors turn a good idea into a product that can be sold in stores or to hospitals.

  • How will these management programs affect the speed at which local inventions reach the public market?

Manufacturing and Infrastructure Expansion

In late 2025, the zone saw physical growth and the start of new factory lines for very complex machines. Union Minister Piyush Goyal visited the site in November to see the progress of local manufacturing.

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  1. Medivalley Expansion: A new 100,000 square foot tower was opened to give more room to startups.

  2. MRI and Cardiac Tools: New factory lines for MRI machines and heart-related tools (Cathlabs) have started. Historically, India has bought almost all its MRI machines from other countries.

  3. Advanced Labs: The zone now offers 3D printing, laser centers, and labs to test if materials are safe for the human body.

AMTZ is moving from simple manufacturing to a full "pathway" where an idea is tested, made, and the workers are trained all in one place.

Analysis of the Workforce Strategy

Experts suggest that the success of the AMTZ depends on whether the trained workers can keep up with the fast pace of global technology.

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  • Integration: By putting schools and factories in the same 270-acre park, students get to use real machines like MRI magnets and gamma irradiation tools.

  • Standardization: Using the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) ensures that a worker trained in Visakhapatnam has the same recognized skills as someone trained in a major global city.

  • Economic Shift: If the goal of reducing the 7 billion dollar import bill is met, it will likely be because local workers can now build and fix the high-tech tools that were previously only available from foreign companies.

Final Observations

The Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone has moved beyond being just a piece of land for factories. It is now a center for training and international relations. By joining with groups like UWA and IIHMR, the zone is trying to solve two problems at once: the lack of locally made medical tools and the lack of workers who know how to manage them.

The evidence shows that over 6,500 people have already been trained, and the infrastructure has grown to support over 150 startups. The next step for the zone involves proving that these locally made products, such as MRIs and heart catheters, can compete with global brands in terms of quality and safety.

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Next Steps to Monitor:

  • The first group of graduates from the UWA India Centre and their entry into the workforce.

  • The actual reduction in medical import costs as reported in upcoming national budget reviews.

  • The expansion of the Medivalley hub into more specific fields like robotic surgery.

Primary Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) partnering with 200 schools and colleges?
AMTZ wants to train a skilled workforce to make medical devices like MRI machines in India. This will help the country stop spending $7 billion every year on tools from other countries.
Q: How many people have received training at the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone as of late 2025?
More than 6,500 people have been trained, and 3,500 have received official certificates. These workers help run the 150 manufacturing units located inside the zone.
Q: What is the goal of the partnership between AMTZ and the University of Western Australia?
This partnership created a new research center in Visakhapatnam to study medical technology and ocean safety. It allows students to move between India and Australia to learn high-tech skills.
Q: How will the new Medivalley expansion at AMTZ help medical startups in India?
A new 100,000 square foot building was opened to give more space to over 150 small companies. These companies focus on making new tools like heart catheters and 3D-printed medical parts.
Q: How much money does India hope to save by making medical tools at the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone?
India hopes to reduce its import bill by 35% to 40%. This would save the country between $2.5 billion and $3 billion every year by making tools locally instead of buying them from abroad.