NEW DELHI, Oct 2: Robotics, artificial intelligence and nanoscience are poised to play a wider role in healthcare, extending their applications beyond specialised surgery to diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said on Friday.
Addressing the international conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery in New Delhi, Singh said advances in medical technology could help create a more precise and personalised healthcare system. He highlighted the potential of emerging technologies to improve clinical decision-making while also expanding access to specialist services for patients living far from major medical centres.
According to the minister, robotics is gradually moving from being primarily associated with complex surgical procedures towards a broader medical ecosystem. He pointed to possible applications in areas including cardiology, endocrinology and other specialties, alongside established uses in surgical care.
The development is part of a wider technological shift in medicine, where digital systems are increasingly being used to assist healthcare professionals in diagnosis, treatment planning and patient monitoring. Singh said artificial intelligence, robotics and tele-robotics could eventually help bridge geographical barriers by allowing specialised medical expertise to reach patients in different parts of the country.
India’s large and diverse healthcare requirements make such technologies particularly relevant, the minister said. While major hospitals in metropolitan areas have greater access to advanced equipment and specialist professionals, patients in remote and underserved regions can face difficulties in obtaining timely consultations and specialised treatment.
Tele-robotics, he said, could become one of the tools for addressing this gap. By connecting medical teams across locations, the technology has the potential to support specialist intervention without requiring patients to travel long distances in every case.
Singh also discussed the convergence of robotics with artificial intelligence and nanoscience. The combination of these fields could contribute to precision medicine, in which treatment decisions are increasingly tailored to the characteristics and needs of individual patients.
The minister referred to the Genome India Programme while discussing the country’s progress in genomics. He said 10,000 individuals had already been sequenced under the programme and expressed the possibility of expanding sequencing efforts to newborns in the future.
Genomic information can support medical research by helping scientists understand genetic variations and their relationship with diseases. Over time, such data could contribute to more targeted approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment, although translating research advances into routine clinical care requires appropriate infrastructure, regulatory safeguards and trained professionals.
The emergence of robotic medicine also raises questions about how medical education and healthcare institutions will adapt. As technological systems become more capable, doctors and other healthcare workers will need training to operate advanced equipment and interpret information generated by digital tools.
The conference in New Delhi brought together professionals working in robotic surgery and related fields, providing a platform for discussion about the expansion of technology-driven medicine.
Singh said robotics should be viewed as a tool that can support medical professionals rather than replace the human element of healthcare. The objective, he indicated, is to use technological capabilities to improve delivery, precision and access.
The growing role of artificial intelligence is already visible across several areas of medicine. Algorithms can assist in analysing medical images, identifying patterns in clinical information and supporting doctors in assessing patients. Robotics, meanwhile, can provide greater precision and controlled movement during selected procedures.
The next stage could involve integrating these technologies rather than using them separately. A healthcare system combining robotics, AI, genomics and advanced diagnostics could potentially provide doctors with more information while allowing treatment to be tailored more closely to individual patients.
However, technological expansion also requires attention to affordability and accessibility. Advanced medical equipment can be expensive, and its benefits may remain concentrated in well-equipped institutions unless investments are made in public healthcare infrastructure and specialist training.
India’s healthcare system serves a population spread across urban centres, smaller towns and rural communities, creating a need for solutions that can operate across different levels of infrastructure. Singh’s emphasis on tele-robotics reflects the possibility of using connectivity to extend specialist capabilities beyond major hospitals.
The minister also underlined the importance of institutional learning and professional engagement in the development of robotic medicine. As the technology moves into new specialties, medical institutions will have to evaluate its clinical applications, safety requirements and effectiveness.
The transition is therefore likely to involve not only technological innovation but also changes in training, regulation, infrastructure and patient care models.
With robotics increasingly entering medical discussions beyond the operating room, the focus is shifting towards how these systems can contribute to diagnosis, therapy and long-term disease management. The integration of emerging technologies could become an important part of India’s efforts to develop more personalised and accessible healthcare.
For patients, the potential benefits include faster access to specialist expertise, more precise procedures and greater use of data in treatment decisions. For healthcare providers, the challenge will be ensuring that technological progress is accompanied by appropriate safeguards, professional training and equitable access.
The discussions at the conference highlighted an evolving healthcare landscape in which robotics is no longer limited to surgical applications. Its possible expansion into multiple medical specialties, combined with AI, genomics and telemedicine, points towards a broader transformation in the way healthcare could be delivered in India.