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: Smt. Patel
Dr V K Paul outlines vision to raise India’s Healthy Life Expectancy to 75 years under Viksit Bharat Mission
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel, delivered the keynote address at the 2nd DHR-ICMR Health Research Excellence Summit 2025 held here today. Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, was also present on the occasion.
Speaking at the event, Smt. Patel highlighted that India’s health research ecosystem has witnessed remarkable strengthening under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri 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 Union Minister emphasized 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.
Smt. 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.
Highlighting the success achieved in intramural, extramural, and clinical research, the Union 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.”
In his address, Dr. V K Paul stated that the Viksit Bharat vision for ICMR is to raise the healthy life expectancy 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. He outlined ten key enablers to achieve this vision:
- Positioning ICMR, aided by DHR and the Government of India, among the top three health research institutions globally.
- Elevating intramural ICMR institutions to global leadership in their respective domains.
- Nurturing the world’s largest extramural research system.
- Achieving Atmanirbharta in knowledge, interventions, products, and technologies.
- Building strong linkages with state health systems.
- Strengthening primary healthcare through 1.8 lakh fully functional Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) offering comprehensive packages for cancer, hypertension, oral health, and more.
- Promoting awareness of India’s traditional systems of medicine.
- Developing a world-class health research workforce.
- Leveraging frontier technologies such as AI and robotics for innovative health solutions.
- Developing comprehensive health strategies to counter biosecurity threats, including future pandemics.
Dr. Paul commended the DHR and ICMR teams, along with all awardees and shortlisted candidates, for their dedication to advancing India’s healthcare and research landscape.
On the occasion, several key DHR-ICMR initiatives were launched by the dignitaries:
- MedTech Mitra’s Innovator’s Guidebook for In-vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Medical Devices
- Transfer of 11 new technologies to 3 companies
- Unveiling of revamped and improved Standard Treatment Workflows
- Assistive Technologies Guidelines and Kit, including:
- An Assessment Kit for evaluation of Upper Limb functions developed by the Centre of Advanced Research & Excellence – Disability & Assistive Technology (CARE-DAT) at IIT Delhi and AIIMS Delhi
- Standards of the National List of Essential Assistive Products (NLEAP), jointly developed by ICMR and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- Launch of the ICMR Pensioners’ Portal
The event was attended by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, DHR and Director General, ICMR; Smt. Anu Nagar, Joint Secretary, DHR; Smt. Manisha Saxena, Senior DDG (Administration), ICMR and senior officials from the Union Health Ministry.