The National Health Authority has highlighted Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as critical pillars driving the future transformation of India’s healthcare ecosystem, emphasizing the need for trusted, inclusive, and ethically governed AI systems.
Speaking at a healthcare technology and policy forum, the NHA CEO stressed that India’s digital healthcare transformation must be built on robust governance mechanisms, validation frameworks, interoperability standards, and patient centric safeguards to ensure equitable and secure adoption of AI across the healthcare sector.

Referring to initiatives such as SAHI and BODH, the NHA CEO underscored the importance of developing trusted AI ecosystems capable of supporting clinical decision making, diagnostics, public health management, and healthcare accessibility while maintaining transparency, accountability, and regulatory oversight.

The remarks come amid the rapid expansion of India’s digital healthcare infrastructure under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which has already generated over 75 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA IDs) and enabled millions of digital health record linkages across healthcare facilities nationwide.

Officials stated that responsible AI has the potential to significantly improve healthcare delivery by enhancing diagnostics, predictive analytics, disease surveillance, telemedicine, workflow automation, and preventive healthcare systems, particularly in underserved and rural regions.

India’s healthcare AI market is witnessing accelerated growth, with industry estimates projecting the sector to surpass USD 1.6 billion by 2028, driven by increasing investments in digital health, machine learning applications, cloud infrastructure, and data driven healthcare innovation.
The NHA CEO further noted that Digital Public Infrastructure can serve as a scalable backbone for healthcare interoperability, enabling secure exchange of health records, continuity of care, and improved healthcare outcomes through integrated digital systems.

Healthcare experts believe India’s growing digital ecosystem could help address longstanding healthcare gaps, especially as the country continues to face infrastructure and workforce challenges. According to government estimates, India currently has nearly one doctor for every 834 citizens, while rural regions continue to face specialist shortages and uneven healthcare accessibility.

The National Health Authority reiterated that collaboration between government institutions, healthcare providers, technology companies, startups, and policymakers will remain essential for building inclusive, validated, and globally trusted AI driven healthcare systems aligned with India’s long term public health objectives.

The latest statement reinforces India’s broader vision of leveraging responsible AI and digital infrastructure to strengthen healthcare governance, improve patient outcomes, and accelerate the country’s transition toward a digitally connected healthcare ecosystem.