Union Minister JP Nadda on Saturday released a knowledge paper on "AI in MedTech: Revolutionising Healthcare Through Artificial Intelligence" at the 9th Edition of India Medical Device 2026, organised by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with FICCI. From creating new opportunities to addressing emerging challenges, the knowledge paper highlighted the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare sector.
Jointly developed by Praxis Global Alliance, in association with FICCI, the knowledge paper examines India's evolving AI-enabled MedTech landscape and outlines the strategic actions needed to accelerate responsible AI adoption across healthcare.
How AI explores diagnostics, clinical decision support
Moreover, while noting that India has already built important foundations through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the IndiaAI Mission, SAHI, BODH and the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023, the report observes that moving AI solutions from successful pilots to large-scale clinical adoption is a major challenge.
The report also highlights that this transition requires addressing fragmented health data and limited evidence, developing predictable lifecycle-based regulation for adaptive AI, and creating supportive reimbursement and procurement mechanisms.
India has opportunity to leverage its software capabilities: AI report
The report says, India also has a unique opportunity to leverage its software capabilities, digital public infrastructure, clinical diversity and growing MedTech manufacturing base to become a global leader in the responsible development, manufacturing and deployment of AI-enabled medical technologies.
Key highlights of the knowledge paper
- The report highlights five priorities for accelerating AI-enabled MedTech adoption in India:
- MedTech represents India's most immediate and scalable AI opportunity, enabling specialist expertise to be embedded directly into medical devices and expanding access to quality healthcare
- India has the foundations for AI leadership, but not yet the ecosystem for scale. While digital infrastructure, innovation and clinician acceptance have advanced rapidly, AI adoption remains constrained by fragmented data, evolving regulation and limited reimbursement pathways
- India must move beyond successful pilots to routine clinical adoption by addressing three ecosystem gaps: AI-ready data and evidence, lifecycle-based regulation, and procurement and reimbursement mechanisms that recognise AI-enabled value
- AI-enabled diagnostics are expected to be the first large-scale application, helping extend specialist expertise to primary and secondary care, improve productivity and reduce inequities in healthcare access
- Coordinated action across government, regulators, healthcare providers, payers, industry and academia will be essential to position India as a global leader in responsible AI-enabled MedTech
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