India AI Summit: JP Nadda launches SAHI, BODH to power AI in healthcare

With digital health infrastructure in place, India has launched SAHI and BODH to accelerate AI-driven innovation in healthcare while keeping public trust, ethics and patient safety at the core

At the India AI Impact Summit, Union Health Minister JP Nadda unveiled two major initiatives: the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India (SAHI) and the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH), both of which aim to redefine the way technology shapes public health in the country.

 

As he addressed policymakers, innovators and researchers, he underlined that artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer an abstract idea but a working tool that must now serve India’s 1.4 billion citizens.

 

“We are proud to host the India AI Impact Summit. This summit is both timely and necessary because artificial intelligence today is no longer a futuristic idea,” he said, adding that healthcare lies “at the very heart of this transformation”.

 

How did Digital India lay the foundation for health AI?

The minister traced the journey back to Digital India, launched in 2015. He noted that the mission was not merely about connectivity but about preparing India for future technologies, including AI.

 

He highlighted how the National Health Policy in 2017 laid the groundwork for an interoperable and inclusive digital health ecosystem. This vision was strengthened in 2020 with the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which created a digital public architecture for healthcare.

 

“Without reliable, high-quality digital health data, artificial intelligence could not be deployed responsibly or at scale,” he said, while emphasising that India has now built interoperable systems and consent-based health data platforms.

 

“India has built the tracks and the AI bullet train is now ready to move,” he added.

 

What is SAHI and how will it govern AI in healthcare?

The centrepiece of the launch was SAHI, the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India.

 

Nadda described it as more than a technology plan. “SAHI is not just a technology strategy, it is a governance framework, a policy compass and a national roadmap,” he noted, stressing that innovation and regulation must move in sync and scale must be matched with trust.

 

SAHI aims to ensure that AI in healthcare is:

 

• Responsible and ethical
• People-centric
• Safe and accountable
• Holistic and inclusive

 

Why are public-private partnerships central to SAHI?

The minister also made it clear that the government cannot work alone. “We want to work hand-in-hand with our friends in the private sector,” he said, adding that SAHI offers a clear framework where innovation thrives but public interest always comes first.

 

He identified pharmaceuticals and life sciences as key growth areas where AI can accelerate drug discovery, reduce research timelines, make clinical trials more cost-effective, and strengthen India’s position as a global biopharma leader.

 

Nadda said that the push is not only for India but also for global health and humanity at large, describing it as a mission centred on people, planet and progress.

 

What is BODH and how will it benchmark health AI tools?

Nadda also launched BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI), a benchmarking tool for health AI solutions developed through collaboration between government and academia. He noted that AI systems deployed in healthcare must be tested and validated, a critical gap that BODH fills by offering structured evaluation standards.

 

He also called academic institutions crucial hubs that must train a future-ready workforce in digital and AI competencies. He urged stronger linkages between academia, private players and public health systems so that solutions move seamlessly from classrooms to clinics and from pilot to population scale.   

For more health updates, follow #HealthwithBS

This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.