In a major step to strengthen Indo-French cooperation in healthcare and emerging technologies, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health (IF-CAIH) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The initiative aims to advance artificial intelligence-driven research and innovation in healthcare.
The IF-CAIH is designed as a pioneering platform to promote AI-based medical research, education, and clinical innovation to address complex health challenges. It marks a significant milestone in India–France collaboration in digital health and aligns with India’s vision of becoming a global leader in equitable, technology-enabled healthcare solutions.
The launch coincided with the high-level academic and scientific meetings titled Rencontres Universitaires Et Scientifiques De Haut Niveau (RUSH), held on February 18–19, 2026, at AIIMS and coordinated by the French Embassy. A dedicated session, “Indo-French Forum: AI in Brain Health and Global Healthcare,” brought together leading scientists, clinicians, policymakers, and academic experts from both nations.
The centre has been established under a Joint Memorandum of Understanding between AIIMS New Delhi, Sorbonne University and the Paris Brain Institute. The initiative also involves collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and other leading French institutions to foster interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence and brain health.
The partnership builds upon ongoing cooperation between India and France in priority areas such as Digital Health, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Human Resources for Health, and responsible health data usage. The collaboration aims to enhance scientific discovery, evidence-based policymaking, and capacity-building through academic mobility and joint research initiatives.
As part of RUSH 2026, President Macron participated in a special conversation on Artificial Intelligence with two young Indian innovators, moderated by Clara Chappaz, French Ambassador for AI and Digital. The interaction highlighted youth-led innovation, cross-border collaboration, and the transformative role of AI in building inclusive and sustainable global systems.
In his address, President Macron emphasized the importance of building sovereign AI capacity and talent in both India and France. He underscored that AI development must serve humanity with strong safeguards, algorithmic transparency, and protection of linguistic and cultural diversity, ensuring that countries do not rely solely on technologies developed elsewhere.
Following the formal inauguration, President Macron ceremonially opened the centre and interacted with students, encouraging young researchers to pursue innovation-driven healthcare solutions. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in AI-enabled global health, reflecting the shared vision of both nations to build resilient and technology-driven healthcare systems.
