India emerges as major player in health research: Anupriya Patel

New Delhi, Nov 13 Over the past decade, India has emerged as a major player in health research and initiatives such as MedTech Mitra and innovations like Rotavac and the COVID-19 vaccines stand as testament to India’s growing prominence in the global health research landscape, said Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Singh Patel, on Thursday.

Delivering the keynote address at the 2nd 'DHR-ICMR Health Research Excellence Summit 2025' here, she highlighted that India’s health research ecosystem has witnessed remarkable strengthening under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Over the past decade, India has emerged as a major player in health research. Initiatives such as MedTech Mitra and innovations like Rotavac and the COVID-19 vaccines stand as testament to India’s growing prominence in the global health research landscape,” she stated.

The minister emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that the benefits of science and research reach people at all levels.

“India is becoming increasingly self-reliant in the MedTech and biomedical innovation sectors. The country is not only innovating but also demonstrating the capacity to deliver solutions at scale,” she added.

Patel further noted that evidence-based policymaking remains a guiding principle of the government. She stressed that clinical guidelines and quality standards must be accessible to all healthcare professionals to ensure affordable and equitable healthcare for every citizen.

The minister observed that India’s health system stands at a defining moment. She encouraged the scientific community to lead the advancement of futuristic technologies such as AI-driven precision healthcare and advanced genomics. Concluding her address, she congratulated all researchers and awardees, remarking, “India should not only contribute to global science but lead it.”

Dr V.K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, noted that the healthy life expectancy in India currently stands at 60 years, and emphasised that the Viksit Bharat vision for ICMR aims to raise it above 75 years by deploying innovative interventions, solutions, and advanced technologies.

Dr Paul urged the Department of Health Research (DHR) to focus on priority areas such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), hypertension, and trauma care.

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