India Health Minister unveils AI in MedTech strategy

At the 9th India Medical Device 2026 congress in New Delhi, Union Health Minister J P Nadda released a knowledge paper titled ‘AI in MedTech: Revolutionising Healthcare Through Artificial Intelligence’. The report, co-developed by FICCI and Praxis Global Alliance, outlines five key priorities to transition artificial intelligence from pilot projects to large-scale clinical adoption in India.

The paper identifies AI-enabled diagnostics as the primary application for large-scale use, noting its potential to extend specialist expertise to primary and secondary healthcare while improving productivity and reducing access inequalities. To achieve this, the report emphasizes the need to address fragmented health data, establish predictable regulation for adaptive AI, and develop supportive procurement and reimbursement mechanisms.

While India has established foundations through initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and the National Medical Devices Policy 2023, challenges such as evolving regulations and limited reimbursement pathways remain. The report calls for coordinated action among the government, healthcare providers, industry, and academia to leverage India's software capabilities and manufacturing base to become a global leader in AI-enabled medical technologies.