Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare Shri J. P. Nadda released a knowledge paper titled 'AI in MedTech: Revolutionizing Healthcare Through Artificial Intelligence' at the 9th Edition of India Medical Device 2026 organized by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in association with FICCI at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The report was jointly developed by Praxis Global Alliance in association with FICCI and examines India's evolving AI-enabled MedTech landscape while outlining strategic actions needed to accelerate responsible AI adoption across healthcare.
The knowledge paper identifies five key priorities for accelerating AI-enabled MedTech adoption in India. First, 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. Second, India has the foundations for AI leadership through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), IndiaAI Mission, SAHI, BODH and the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023, but lacks the ecosystem for scale as AI adoption remains constrained by fragmented data, evolving regulation and limited reimbursement pathways.
Third, 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 recognize AI-enabled value. Fourth, 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. Fifth, 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.
The report explores AI's role in diagnostics, clinical decision support, operational efficiency and medical device innovation while identifying the regulatory, policy and ecosystem interventions required to enable large-scale adoption. It notes that moving AI solutions from successful pilots to large-scale clinical adoption 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 a unique opportunity to leverage its software capabilities, digital public infrastructure, clinical diversity and growing MedTech manufacturing base to become a global leader in responsible development, manufacturing and deployment of AI-enabled medical technologies.