Made-in-India X-ray or patient monitors with a Philips tag may not be far off: parent Philips Electronics plans to foray into medical equipment manufacturing in India through an acquisition or in a joint venture with a local company, according to Mr Wayne Spittle, Vice-President & General Manager, Asia Pacific, Philips Medical Systems.

These are early days and there are no targets to name yet. An Indian venture, when it happens, would make affordable and low-end imaging equipment such as X-ray machines and personal healthcare monitors for the domestic and regional markets, Mr Spittle, based in Hong Kong, said during the company's interaction with global media in Chicago.

Biggest exhibitor

This year, Philips was the biggest exhibitor at Chicago's annual November global medical technology meet put up by the Radiological Society of North America. The Philips medical diagnostics portfolio includes MRI, heart imaging, patient monitoring, automated external defibrillators for cardiac emergencies.

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