According to the World Health Organization, more than 2.5 billion people worldwide require at least one assistive technology product, including eyeglasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, prosthetics and communication applications. However, fewer than 10 percent of people in low and middle-income countries who require such technologies currently have access to them.
Against this backdrop, NCPEDP's policy paper proposes foundational recommendations for a National Assistive Technology Policy Framework and calls for a comprehensive restructuring of how India designs, delivers, finances and sustains assistive technology for persons with disabilities, older citizens and individuals with functional limitations. The document seeks to provide a roadmap for governments and stakeholders to establish an accessible, affordable and future-ready assistive technology ecosystem.
Arman Ali, Executive Director of NCPEDP, said assistive technology should no longer be viewed as a welfare measure or a one-time distribution exercise. He stressed that it should instead be recognised as essential social and economic infrastructure with a direct impact on education, employment, healthcare access, mobility, independent living and productivity.
India is home to 2.68 crore persons with disabilities, with more than 70 percent residing in rural areas where access to assistive services remains limited. The challenge is expected to intensify as the country's elderly population expands and more people live longer with chronic illnesses and functional impairments.
Ali noted that India has already established a strong rights-based foundation for disability inclusion through the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the Accessible India Campaign and sector-specific initiatives such as the National Education Policy, 2020. He said the Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase and Fitting of Aids and Appliances Scheme has remained the principal public mechanism for providing assistive technology and has expanded access to basic devices for many low-income households. However, he pointed out that service delivery remains fragmented across ministries, schemes and channels, with a predominant emphasis on device procurement and one-time distribution.
The policy paper estimates that India's assistive technology market could reach between USD 8 billion and USD 10 billion by 2030, creating substantial opportunities for policy-driven innovation, investment and domestic manufacturing. Despite this potential, access to assistive products and services remains available to only a fraction of those who require them.
The launch event is expected to bring together Members of Parliament, senior government officials, representatives from Software Technology Parks of India and technology institutions, civil society organisations, development sector experts, disability rights advocates, academic institutions, research bodies and persons with disabilities. Discussions will focus on the future of assistive technology in India and the urgent need for a dedicated national policy framework.
The upcoming release of the policy paper marks a crucial moment in India's disability inclusion journey, highlighting the need to transform assistive technology from a fragmented welfare intervention into a sustainable pillar of economic participation, independence and equal opportunity for millions.
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