The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research (DHR), convened representatives from Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and India at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi, for a high-level regional dialogue on strengthening health research systems.
The meeting, which was held on Friday, marked an important milestone in fostering collaboration across South and Southeast Asia to ensure that health research directly informs policy, addresses regional priorities, and builds sustainable systems for the future.
The deliberations were enriched by the presence of eminent experts and dignitaries, with sessions chaired by Dr V.K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India, Prof. Dr K. Srinath Reddy, Honorary Distinguished Professor, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), Dr Shamika Ravi, Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Dr Renu Swarup, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology.
Sharing India’s progress in med-tech innovation, Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, who chaired a session on the subject, stated that, “India today stands at the forefront of scientific research and innovation for health. I urge our research platform partners to actively engage with India’s open innovation platforms, so that together we can nurture start-ups, accelerate MedTech breakthroughs, and deliver affordable solutions that serve both economic growth and the larger public good.”
Speaking at the way forward session of the meeting, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR & Director-General, ICMR, said, “Global partnerships and science diplomacy have always been central to India’s strategy. South–South collaboration remains a priority through joint projects and capacity building to ensure that the region benefits from each other’s expertise. Above all, science and research must serve people directly.”