The healthcare infrastructure in India is currently shifting its mechanism with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is making it possible to detect diseases early. Increasing telemedicine facilities, improving surveillance and making it possible to deliver healthcare in a better manner in both urban and rural areas. With the help of initiatives like the IndiaAI Mission and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, AI is being implemented in various health programs, hospitals, diagnostics and preventive healthcare. It’s changing the way in which healthcare is being accessed, delivered and managed in the country, thus ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to the most rural populations as well.
Policy Vision and Institutional Foundations
The use of AI in the healthcare sector in India is based on a policy vision. The National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which was published in 2018, has identified AI, robotics and Internet of Medical Things as the foundational technologies that have the potential to bring a transformation in the delivery of healthcare services.
This vision received further impetus with the approval of the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024, with a financial allocation of Rs 10,371.92 crore. The mission seeks to develop and apply AI solutions to meet national priorities, including healthcare. One of its main aims is to democratize access to cutting-edge technologies and ensure that AI tools are available to all sections of society, including rural and disadvantaged areas.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also formulating a specific Strategy for AI in Healthcare for India (SAHI), which has been developed in consultation with stakeholders from public institutions, academia and industry. Ethical use is ensured by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Ethical Guidelines and national AI governance structures, which highlight the importance of secure data transfer and privacy.
To enhance research and indigenous development, Centres of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence have been set up at AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh and AIIMS Rishikesh. These centres are at the forefront of developing AI solutions for healthcare that are specific to the Indian context.
AI in Disease Detection and Screening
Artificial Intelligence is playing a significant role in early detection and management of diseases, particularly tuberculosis, diabetes-related blindness and cancer.
AI in Tuberculosis Detection and Management
Under the National TB Elimination Program, AI predictive analytics tools have been able to identify patients who are at a high risk of treatment failure. These tools analyse patient information and alert the authorities about patients who need special attention. The implementation of this AI tool has led to a 27 per cent decrease in adverse outcomes of tuberculosis treatment in the country.
One of the most significant uses of AI in TB diagnosis is the DeepCXR AI tool. This is an AI-powered radiology tool that analyses chest X-rays to detect abnormalities such as nodules and cavities. This tool is implemented in eight states and union territories and is able to assist healthcare professionals in screening patients without the need for radiologists.
AI tool NIDAAN (Integrated Lung Health Screening and Tuberculosis Detection through AI at National Scale), uses the qXR platform to analyse chest X-rays and detect more than 30 abnormalities. These AI systems enable early diagnosis, improve treatment monitoring and strengthen India’s effort to eliminate tuberculosis.
AI in Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of avoidable blindness. AI-assisted screening systems such as MadhuNetrAI have been rolled out. The system allows healthcare professionals to scan the retinas of patients using portable scanners. The AI system evaluates the scans and identifies patients who require urgent care from specialists.
MadhuNetrAI has assisted over 7,100 patients in 38 healthcare facilities and is the first AI-assisted community screening program for diabetic retinopathy launched in India in December 2025. AI-assisted screening tool Ocellux is a portable retina imaging device that can identify the early signs of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and other eye diseases.
AI in Cancer Detection and Diagnosis
AI is changing the way doctors diagnose and plan treatment for cancer. Take the Cancer Imaging Biobank project from NITI Aayog. They’re building a huge database of over 20,000 patient profiles filled with radiology and pathology images. With this, researchers can train AI systems to spot cancer earlier and help doctors figure out the best treatment.
Then there’s the MafPro device. It’s a handheld tool powered by AI that helps detect if cancer has spread to lymph nodes. No radiation, nothing invasive, just a smart device that helps doctors stage cancer and plan what comes next.
AI-Enabled Telemedicine and Remote Healthcare
Telemedicine has become one of the cornerstones of AI-enabled healthcare delivery. The telemedicine platform of India, eSanjeevani, has enabled 282 million telemedicine consultations between April 2023 and November 2025. Of these, approximately 12 million consultations have been directly assisted by AI-enabled diagnostic recommendations.
The system uses AI-powered Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS), which analyse patient symptoms and medical records to assist doctors in making the right diagnoses. This improves the efficiency of doctor consultations and enables doctors to provide patients with timely treatment.
AI-powered personal healthcare assistants are also being developed under the IndiaAI Mission. These assistants assist in monitoring patients’ health and provide medical assistance and support in preventive healthcare.
AI in Disease Surveillance and Public Health Monitoring
AI is shaking up how India tracks diseases, thanks to the Media Disease Surveillance platform. Basically, this system scans digital news and other sources, hunting for signs of outbreaks. Since April 2022, it’s flagged over 4,500 potential outbreaks, giving the government a head start to stop diseases from spreading.
AI also plays a big role in the AB-PMJAY Anti-Fraud System. Here, machine learning keeps an eye on healthcare claims and spots suspicious transactions. This approach makes the whole system more transparent and helps protect public healthcare funds from fraud.
AI in Maternal, Neonatal and Critical Care
Artificial Intelligence is also improving maternal and neonatal healthcare through various innovative technologies. The CareNX platform provides AI-driven antenatal care kits and wireless fetal monitors. These technologies allow healthcare professionals to monitor the health status of pregnant women, including blood pressure and haemoglobin levels, as well as fetal heart rate. CareNX has assisted over 500,000 mothers in over 20 states, improving maternal healthcare accessibility.
The NemoCare Raksha is an AI-driven wearable device for newborn health monitoring. This wearable device monitors key health parameters such as heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate and body temperature. The device also allows healthcare professionals to monitor multiple infants simultaneously and enables early interventions in case of complications. The technology has helped more than 20,000 newborns since 2022.
In critical care, the Cloud physician Smart ICU solution links hospitals to command centers for constant monitoring. AI solutions like AIRA and NETRA help medical professionals in patient care and medical record-keeping. This solution has helped more than 130,000 patients in 280 hospitals.
AI in Radiology, Cardiology and Diagnosis
AI is shaking up how doctors diagnose problems in radiology and cardiology. Qure.ai, for example, uses deep learning to scan chest X-rays and CT scans, spotting things like tuberculosis, lung cancer, or heart disease. Right now, more than a thousand healthcare centres use Qure.ai, and it’s helping millions of people get diagnosed every year.
Then there’s AiStethan AI-powered stethoscope that picks up heart and lung sounds, runs them through machine learning and gives doctors real insights. It’s especially handy in rural areas, where you might not find a specialist.
Tool Thermalytix combines thermal imaging with AI to catch early signs of breast cancer. It’s non-invasive and doesn’t use any radiation, so screenings are safer and easier. All this tech only works because there’s a solid digital backbone. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission has put together a strong digital infrastructure that actually makes AI a real part of healthcare in India. As of August 2025, that foundation is helping AI tools fit right into the system.
So far, people have created 799 million digital health IDs. There are 410,000 healthcare facilities on board, with 670,000 healthcare professionals connected to the system. 671 million health records have been linked up digitally.
This huge digital health network gives AI real access to health data, which sharpens diagnosis, treatment and the way we manage care. Platforms like EkaCare, Sunoh.ai, Eka Scribe and Plus91 actually help doctors out. They make it easier to create electronic prescriptions, pull together patient details and just make the whole healthcare process smoother.
AI in Nutrition Monitoring and Public Health
AI is also being used to tackle malnutrition. In Maharashtra’s tribal schools, an AI-based system analyses the food provided to children and determines the nutritional value using image recognition technology. The system checks over 2,100 data points, including food content and temperature, to check for compliance with nutritional standards.
The system has been very helpful in allowing the authorities to identify the deficiencies in the quality of food being provided and improving the nutritional value of the service.
Strengthening Healthcare Through Research and Innovation
India is also improving its AI research by establishing partnerships between government bodies, educational institutions and corporate companies. The National Federated Learning Platform, which was developed in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, enables the secure verification of AI models on healthcare data without violating patient privacy. This also enables the development of trustworthy AI healthcare solutions.
The IndiaAI Mission is also helping in the development of AI-based wearable diagnostic devices, cloud-based radiology platforms and AI-based health assistants, ensuring that innovation in healthcare technology never stops.
Universal Healthcare Through Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the Indian healthcare industry by enabling early diagnosis, improving treatment success rates, improving disease surveillance and improving access to healthcare services.
Digital health infrastructure, government policies and technological advancements are collectively assisting AI in ensuring that India achieves universal access to healthcare. By incorporating AI in the healthcare delivery system, India is developing a more efficient and resilient healthcare system that is in line with the country’s long-term vision for development.
