India's MeitY says AI can widen access to diagnosis and screening

Artificial intelligence could strengthen disease screening, medical diagnostics and remote patient monitoring while making care cheaper and easier to reach, S. Krishnan, Secretary of India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said at a technology conclave in Varanasi. Remarks from the event were made public on October 18, 2026.

The conclave, titled "AI for Health & Assistive Technologies", was organised by Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), which operates under MeitY, together with the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIT BHU. It gathered government officials, healthcare professionals, researchers and startup founders.

From clinical decisions to surgical planning

In his keynote, Krishnan said AI could support clinical decision-making and improve service delivery, especially for communities with limited access to medical facilities. He pointed to uses including remote intensive care unit monitoring and AI-assisted surgical planning. He also argued that AI education should be built into many disciplines and that technology institutes, medical schools, researchers and startups need closer cooperation to produce solutions that scale.

Krishnan highlighted funding and support available through the IndiaAI Mission and other ministry programmes aimed at encouraging innovation in the field.

Building startups beyond tech hubs

STPI Director General Arvind Kumar urged India to draw on the experience of building its IT and IT-enabled services industry to foster homegrown AI ventures. Citing STPI's network of 27 Centres of Entrepreneurship, he said translational research, intellectual property creation and market access are key for startups turning ideas into commercial products. He also called for stronger startup ecosystems outside the country's established technology centres.

IIT BHU Director Amit Patra described the institute's efforts through CIIE to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking among students and faculty, link innovators with investors and create a steady pipeline of new companies. Panel sessions examined how AI can support citizens in health, inclusion and well-being, and how research can be turned into scalable healthcare and assistive technology products.

The event reflects the Indian government's broader push to present AI as a tool for closing gaps in healthcare access. No new programme, budget or regulation was announced, however; the messaging centred on collaboration and ecosystem building rather than concrete policy steps.