National AI strategy and benchmarking platform unveiled at India AI Impact Summit 2026 to ensure safe, transparent and evidence-based deployment
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda launched two major digital health initiatives — SAHI (Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India) and BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI) — at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The initiatives aim to strengthen the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence across India’s healthcare ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said AI cannot function in isolation and depends on strong digital infrastructure and quality data. He recalled that India began laying its digital foundation in 2015 with the launch of the Digital India, which transformed governance and public service delivery through technology.
He noted that the health sector aligned early with this national vision. The National Health Policy envisioned a comprehensive digital health ecosystem, which was further strengthened by the rollout of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, creating a scalable digital public infrastructure for healthcare services.
Describing SAHI as more than a technology strategy, Shri Nadda said it serves as a governance framework and national roadmap to guide ethical, transparent and accountable AI adoption in healthcare. The framework will ensure innovation flourishes while safeguarding public interest, patient privacy and data security.
He also highlighted AI’s transformative role in pharmaceuticals and life sciences. AI-driven tools can accelerate drug discovery, enhance clinical trial precision, reduce research timelines and improve cost-efficiency, thereby strengthening affordable healthcare delivery in the country.
BODH, developed by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in collaboration with the National Health Authority, will enable systematic evaluation of AI models using anonymized real-world health datasets. The platform is designed to assess performance, robustness and bias before solutions are deployed at scale.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said SAHI represents a long-term policy commitment that provides a common framework for the Centre, States and private stakeholders to guide AI adoption. She emphasized that safety, reliability and accountability must remain central to India’s health AI ecosystem.
Dr. Catharina Boehme of the World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office praised India’s leadership in digital health innovation. She said the initiatives set a global benchmark by combining innovation with strong governance, ensuring AI strengthens health systems, expands access and builds public trust.
