~ “The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry must move beyond being “Pharmacy of the World” to become the “Laboratory of the World”. All key stakeholders must collaborate across the entire AI lifecycle to attain the goal of Universal Health Coverage.”: Smt. Anupriya Patel
~ Smt. Anupriya Patel also launched the Indian Pharma Archives portal and released a book documenting India’s COVID-19 vaccine development
~ Focused on the theme of ‘Advancing AI in Healthcare’, the IIMA Healthcare Summit 2026 attracted participation from more than 500 industry leaders and healthcare professionals from across the country
~ Through insightful panel discussions, the event served as a significant platform to discuss the current transition and way forward in the pharma and healthcare industry
Ahmedabad | August 22, 2026: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) hosted the 3rd edition of the IIMA Healthcare Summit on its Ahmedabad campus today with a focus on the theme – “Advancing AI in Healthcare”. Smt. Anupriya Patel, Hon’ble Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers, Government of India (GoI), graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The event was organised by the Centre for Management of Health Services (CMHS) and the Alumni & External Relations Office at IIMA, in collaboration with the IIMA Healthcare Alumni Special Interest Group (ASIG) and the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA). Envisioned as an annual flagship event in India’s healthcare landscape, the IIMA Healthcare Summit reflects IIMA’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare system in India and supporting India’s vision of becoming a healthy, developed nation by 2047.
Delivering the Keynote Address at the Summit, Smt. Anupriya Patel emphasised that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could become a force multiplier to build a healthy India, “With a vast population and geographical diversity in India, the ambitious goal of attaining universal health is not an easy target. Hence, technology adoption is one of our priorities to address challenges, and AI comes as a force multiplier in healthcare management and delivery. It will also help our doctors, scientists, and researchers process vast amounts of information and move toward a future where we have the right kind of treatment and at the right time for every patient, even in remote areas. But we also have to remember that we need to move towards safe and responsible AI.”
Talking about the Government of India’s initiatives in this domain like the PRIP (Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector) scheme, which has a financial outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore, and the National Biopharma Mission, Smt. Patel added that through such initiatives, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is trying to connect our institutions with industries and strengthen research to encourage our country to move from cost- based generic manufacturing towards innovation-led growth. “The objective is very clear; we don’t want our pharma industry to just manufacture medicines which have been discovered elsewhere. The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry must move beyond being “Pharmacy of the World” to become the “Laboratory of the World”. The next phase is to build AI capabilities on our strong digital foundations like Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, so that we are able to achieve better screenings, clinical decision support systems, disease surveillance, risk prediction, remote monitoring, and personalised follow-up.”
Concluding her speech, Smt. Patel encouraged the industry, academia, and research institutions to leverage the power of collaboration and synergy to advance AI in pharma and healthcare industries and said, “We need to build a national AI ecosystem. And for that, all key stakeholders, including the government, healthcare institutions, academia, tech companies, or startups, must collaborate across the entire AI lifecycle – from identifying the problem to finding its solution, implementing it, monitoring its outcomes, and finally scaling it up – to attain the goal of Universal Health Coverage. From this platform, I urge that we must build an AI- enabled healthcare system that is not just innovative but responsible, not just advanced but inclusive, technology-driven but fully grounded in health priorities.”
Making a significant digital resource public, Smt. Anupriya Patel also launched the Indian Pharma Archives portal, which is the first digital public archive preserving over 125 years of India’s pharmaceutical journey. The India Pharma Archives is developed by IIM Ahmedabad Archives under the leadership of Prof. Chinmay Tumbe and supported by the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA). By bringing together oral histories of first-generation founders and pioneers, photographs, publications, archival records, milestone events, and multimedia resources, it captures the science, entrepreneurship, policies, and leadership that shaped the industry. Designed as a living archive, it will continue to grow as a knowledge resource for researchers, students, policymakers, historians, and future industry leaders. It can be visited at: https://www.indiapharmaarchives.com/
On this occasion, the Smt. Patel also released a book titled – “From Labs to Jabs” – documenting India’s COVID-19 vaccine development, which captures an important chapter in India’s scientific, pharmaceutical, and institutional response to a global health crisis. The book is co-authored by Prof. Rajesh Chandwani and Prof. Ranjan Kumar Ghosh from IIMA and Ms. Vinita Sindhwani Satija.
Sharing the opening remarks, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said, “The healthcare sector, globally as well as in India, is a rapidly growing multi-hundred-billion-dollar industry. According to a 2025 PwC research report, the AI healthcare market is projected to reach US$ 868 billion by 2030, and the global healthcare market is anticipated to grow at a 5% CAGR by 2030. With India being a globally prominent provider of generic drugs and vaccines and a hub for medical tourism, we stand at the forefront of a revolutionary transformation. Advanced technologies like AI and data analytics will play a crucial role in meeting this growing demand. Rapid integration of AI in healthcare promises improved diagnostics, personalised treatment, and enhanced patient care. IIM Ahmedabad is glad to collaborate with our partners in creating a significant dialogue platform like this to explore innovative solutions and foster collaborations that will propel India into a healthier future.” Professor Bhasker also informed the attendees about some of the important work being carried out by IIMA’s Centre for Management of Health Services (CMHS) in healthcare research and public-policy thought leadership.
Delivering the inaugural address, Mr. Pankaj Patel, Chairperson of the IIMA Board of Governors and Chairperson of Zydus Lifesciences, said, “We are at this pivotal moment in the healthcare landscape as we stand at the intersection of innovation and responsibility. Driven by advancements in technology and a renewed focus on patient-centric care, the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors in India are witnessing unprecedented growth, and we have tremendous potential to achieve greater heights globally. With the help of technologies like artificial intelligence, we can witness an unprecedented era that can enhance patient outcomes, streamline operations, and drive innovation in drug development. But as we embrace AI, we must remain vigilant in ensuring that these technologies are harnessed ethically and effectively. We can lead this change by building robust research capabilities, harnessing the digital ecosystem, prioritising ethical practices and equitable access, and creating opportunities to collaborate for healthcare providers, tech innovators, and regulatory bodies. Together, we can make strides toward a healthier future for everyone.”
Ms. Punya Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI, and Mr. Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, GoI, also addressed the audience and gave a comprehensive view of the government initiatives for improving healthcare with the help of and the regulatory system in the country. Prof. Amit Karna, Dean, Alumni & External Relations, IIMA; and Mr. Manish Gupta, Founder & Chairman, Indegene, and member of the IIMA Healthcare Alumni SIG, delivered thoughtful welcome addresses, setting the tone for the day- long Summit.
Through insightful deliberation on various topics, the day-long summit examined how India can harness AI responsibly to build an inclusive and equitable health system. Eminent speakers, global thought leaders from across the healthcare ecosystem, senior government officials, technologists, and investors shared their insights and participated in discussions to drive supportive action.
Conversations in two panel discussions – 1) “AI in Indian Healthcare – The Policy Imperatives for India @2047”, and 2) “Reimagining Healthcare Value Chain and Talent — How AI is Reshaping Diagnostics, Pharma, and Care Delivery” – spanned the full arc of the AI-in-healthcare agenda: the architecture of an integrated health system, governance and ethics, the economics of adoption, talent and leadership, equitable access for Bharat, and India’s role on the global stage.
The event also witnessed a Fireside Chat with Mr. Sharvil Patel, President, IPA, and MD, Zydus Lifesciences; and Ms. Ameera Shah, Executive Chairperson, Metropolis Healthcare, moderated by Prof. Tarun Jain, IIMA, wherein they deliberated on various aspects of “Leading AI-ready Healthcare Organisations”.
The Summit ended with thought-provoking Concluding Remarks & Vote of Thanks by Mr. Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA). The IIMA Healthcare Summit 2026 was attended by more than 500 participants, comprising of industry leaders, researchers, innovators, and professionals from the healthcare ecosystem from across the country. The Summit also featured a Startups Showcase of promising healthcare startups working at the AI frontier to address some of India’s most pressing health challenges.
About IIM Ahmedabad:
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) is a premier global management Institute that is at the forefront of promoting excellence in the field of management education. In more than six decades of its existence, the Institute has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice, and policy through its distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, supporting industry, government, social enterprise, and creating a progressive impact on society.
IIMA was founded as an innovative initiative by the Government, industry, and international academia in 1961. Since then, it has been consolidating its global footprint, and today it has a network with over 80 top international institutions and a campus in Dubai. Its eminent faculty members and more than 47,000 alumni, who are at the helm of influential positions in all walks of life, also contribute to its global recognition. Over the years, IIMA’s academically superior, market-driven, and socially impactful programmes have earned a high reputation and acclaim globally. It became the first Indian institution to receive international accreditation from EQUIS. The Institute is also placed first in the Government of India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), India Rankings 2025. The Institute has been ranked 35th globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education Rankings (Open) 2025. The renowned flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) is ranked 34th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2025, and the Full-Time One-Year Post Graduate Programme in Management (MBA-PGPX) has been ranked 27th in the FT Global MBA rankings 2026.
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