AI Healthcare Breakthroughs at India AI Impact Summit 2026
India was one of the initial nations to implement an AI strategy focused on healthcare, establishing a significant standard on a worldwide scale as remarked by a senior official from the World Health Organization (WHO). During her speech at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Dr. Catharina Boehme, who is in charge of the WHO's South-East Asia regional office, praised India for its leadership in advancing digital health solutions. She highlighted that the strategy is aimed at enhancing healthcare services, enhancing the decision-making process, and expanding access to healthcare for marginalized communities.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 showcased innovative AI-driven advancements that have the potential to completely transform the delivery and management of healthcare. AI is pushing the boundaries in healthcare, from improving precision medicine to enhancing diagnostics, leading to more personalized and accessible care. In a diverse and expansive country like India, these advancements could address key healthcare challenges such as rural-urban disparity and speeding up drug discovery. This summit highlighted the vast possibilities of AI in healthcare and emphasized its role in creating a smarter and healthier future for millions of people.
Health Minister Launches National AI Framework, Testing Platform
The Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda introduced two national programs, SAHI and BODH, aimed at creating a structure for regulating and assessing the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Nadda emphasized the importance of ethical, transparent, and accountable use of AI in the health sector. The new programs were introduced during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam.
SAHI, known as the Secure AI for Health Initiative, is a national strategy that aims to provide direction on the development, validation, and implementation of AI tools in various sectors such as hospitals, public health programs, pharmaceuticals, and digital health systems. It sets forth guidelines on governance, data management, validation criteria, and surveillance methods.
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Additionally, the minister introduced BODH, a tool created by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in partnership with the National Health Authority, alongside SAHI. BODH is created as a well-organized assessment system for testing and verifying AI models with a variety of real-world health data that has been anonymized, before implementing them on a large scale. Authorities mentioned that the platform will evaluate efficiency, reliability, partiality, and adaptability without sharing or revealing patient data.
The union minister connected the program to India's overall digital advancement, stating that the Digital India initiative introduced in 2015 set the groundwork for constructing a robust digital framework. He highlighted that the National Health Policy had foreseen a connected and adaptable digital health environment in line with the nation's digital objectives, and that the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has subsequently established a digital public structure for healthcare services.
Government Develops Policy Framework for AI in Healthcare, Data Platform to Train Models
According to the Union Health Ministry's policy framework released at the AI Impact summit, a comprehensive approach will be needed for implementing AI solutions in healthcare, which includes defining the problem, handling data, ensuring accuracy, and evaluating real-world performance.
The framework states: “AI systems in healthcare differ fundamentally from conventional digital tools: they influence clinical judgment, shape care pathways, and inform population-level decisions, often evolving through updates or learning mechanisms. As a result, AI adoption in healthcare cannot be treated as a one-time approval or deployment event”.
Barnwal stated that for any artificial intelligence (AI) solution in the healthcare industry, it is crucial to adhere to principles already established in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
He emphasized the importance of integrating data privacy into the design of all solutions, noting that patient consent will be necessary for any data sharing.
The development of the framework involved extensive discussions in various cities, including Vijayawada, Delhi, Shillong, and Mumbai, which included input from clinicians, health tech companies, state governments, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Additionally, Barnwal emphasized the importance of adequately training health workers to ensure the successful implementation of artificial intelligence solutions.
CRMIT Showcases India-Ready Healthcare AI Innovations
CRMIT, a prominent company specializing in digital transformation and enterprise solutions driven by artificial intelligence, reveals its involvement in the AI Impact Summit taking place in New Delhi from February 16–20, 2026. During the summit, CRMIT will showcase a range of healthcare solutions powered by AI, which have been created in partnership with public healthcare sector players and teams from Hospital Management Information Systems (HMIS).
The AI Impact Summit is a top-tier event gathering government officials, healthcare professionals, tech companies, innovative startups, and academic specialists to discuss the potential of artificial intelligence in making significant changes in various important fields such as healthcare, defense, and public infrastructure. CRMIT is showcasing a range of Healthcare AI Agents aimed at enhancing clinical decision-making, enhancing patient accessibility, and simplifying care coordination. These offerings consist of AI-powered symptom evaluation and prioritization, medication support in accordance with Indian clinical standards, smart scheduling of appointments, patient interaction agents, and support partners for caregivers - all centered around strong safety, compliance, and audibility.
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CRMIT is showcasing the development of healthcare AI that is suitable for the Indian market and prioritizes trust, localization, and scalability at the AI Impact Summit. This approach aims to improve results for both healthcare providers and patients.
India-Made AI Solutions for Healthcare have Potential to Reform Global Models: Royal Philips CEO
The CEO of Royal Philips, Roy Jakobs, stated that New Delhi, India is becoming a hub for innovation on a global scale, particularly in the development of AI solutions for healthcare, which have the ability to revolutionize the industry worldwide. India is building a digital framework, which is paving the way for interconnected health records and ongoing patient information through projects like Ayushman Bharat and the Digital Mission.
He mentioned that healthcare is shifting from reacting to anticipating, from disorganized to linked, and from occasional to constant. He also stated that the current systems being developed will influence the well-being of billions in the future. Jakobs also mentioned that AI systems flourish when provided with well-organized, top-notch data over time. India provides a unique environment with its complex real-world scenarios encompassing both urban and rural areas, as well as various public and private systems, making it an ideal testing ground for robust solutions.
One of the top technology companies, Royal Philips, has been operating in India for close to a century. They have made substantial investments in research and development, production, digital technologies, artificial intelligence advancements, and partnerships with medical professionals in Bengaluru and Pune innovation hubs. Their focus spans various areas such as imaging, patient monitoring, and integrated healthcare services. He mentioned that the designs which can scale globally are being reformed by clinical workflow solutions developed in collaboration with Indian partners, aligning with the vision of the Prime Minister.
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Jakobs mentioned in his speech that healthcare systems worldwide are facing great challenges because of increased demand, chronic illnesses, limited staff, and the high expectations of patients and society. He believes that this will lead to a faster integration of data and AI-driven advancements in the healthcare sector. Jakobs highlighted in his speech that healthcare systems worldwide are facing significant challenges from increasing demand, chronic illnesses, overextended staff, and heightened expectations from patients and society, all of which will drive the implementation of data and AI-based advancements. He emphasized that artificial intelligence in the healthcare field should prioritize establishing trust, transparency, and ongoing validation. He also stressed the need for innovation and governance to progress hand in hand to guarantee the acceptance and achievement of AI in healthcare.