India must transition from pharmacy to laboratory of the world, says Anupriya Patel

At the IIMA Healthcare Summit 2026 in Ahmedabad, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Anupriya Patel, stated that India must transition from being the ‘pharmacy of the world’ to becoming the ‘laboratory of the world.’

To achieve this, she emphasized that the nation must place research, innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI) at the center of its healthcare goals. Patel noted that the pharmaceutical sector needs to progress beyond manufacturing existing drugs and vaccines toward advanced drug discovery and innovation.

The summit, themed ‘Promoting AI in Healthcare,’ brought together policymakers, industry representatives, and academics to discuss AI's role in building a healthy and developed India by 2047. Patel highlighted that AI can enhance drug discovery, improve screening, assist in clinical decision-making, and support personalized treatment. However, she stressed that AI should be implemented in a safe, responsible, and human-centric manner, serving as a complement to—rather than a replacement for—human clinical judgment.