The IGSTC Strategic Conclave 2026 on “Mobile Health & Telemedicine” was held at Vigyan Bhawan, bringing together policymakers, scientists, industry leaders, and healthcare experts to explore Indo-German collaboration in digital healthcare solutions.
Dr. Kusumita Arora, Director of IGSTC, emphasized that the conclave serves as a platform for government, academia, and industry to collaboratively address technical challenges and co-create solutions in the mobile health sector.
Surg VAdm Dr. Arti Sarin, DGAFMS, highlighted the strategic importance of telemedicine in the Armed Forces, serving around 1.6 crore personnel, veterans, and families. She detailed telehealth’s evolution from real-time consultations to satellite-enabled services for remote and high-altitude regions, stressing the need for secure communications, AI diagnostics, wearable devices, and regulatory clarity.
Dr. Jitendra Kumar, MD of BIRAC, underlined biotechnology-led innovation as key to strengthening digital health delivery. He emphasized supporting startups at the intersection of diagnostics, digital platforms, and medical devices, and fostering Indo-German collaborations to adapt global expertise to India’s healthcare needs.
Dr. Sunita Sharma, DGHS, spoke on integrating telemedicine within India’s National Digital Health Mission, highlighting AI, machine learning, and point-of-care technologies in programs like tuberculosis eradication. She stressed regulatory oversight, data privacy, and sustained funding to ensure ethical adoption of emerging technologies.
Industry perspectives were voiced by Mr. Pavan Chaudhary, Chairman of the Medical Technology Association of India, who called for translational research and incentivized innovation. Dr. Arindam Bhattacharyya of DST reinforced the need to scale telemedicine and mobile health technologies, creating innovation ecosystems that connect science, technology, and public health priorities.
Key discussions focused on AI diagnostics, remote monitoring, wearable devices, chip-based lab services, regulatory frameworks, financing, and bridging the digital divide. Participants emphasized structured R&D roadmaps and bilateral collaborations to deliver deep-tech healthcare solutions across India’s diverse socio-economic landscape.
The conclave reaffirmed DST, BIRAC, and IGSTC’s commitment to advancing mobile health and telemedicine as inclusive, secure, and innovation-driven pillars of India’s healthcare future.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
