Health Minister Nadda Unveils National Framework to Regulate AI in Healthcare

By introducing SAHI and BODH together, authorities have outlined a dual architecture for India’s health AI ecosystem, policy governance through SAHI and technical validation through BODH.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda has unveiled SAHI and BODH at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, outlining a structured roadmap for governing and validating artificial intelligence in public healthcare.

The launch took place on Day 2 of the national AI gathering, where policymakers, researchers, and technology leaders convened to define India’s AI trajectory.

Hosted by the National Health Authority, the session brought together representatives from IIT Kanpur and the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, reinforcing India’s push to align innovation with public health safeguards.

The announcements build on the digital transformation momentum under Ayushman Bharat and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which have expanded digital infrastructure across states in recent years.

J P Nadda said, “India is taking a decisive step toward an AI-powered future that empowers people and improves lives,” congratulating all the stakeholders who have contributed to this mission and inviting every partner present to join us in shaping this national journey.

SAHI, or the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India, has been introduced as a national governance framework for medical AI. It functions as a policy blueprint designed to standardize how AI tools are developed, evaluated, and deployed across healthcare settings.

By defining data stewardship norms, monitoring mechanisms, and evaluation benchmarks, SAHI seeks to address fragmented implementation and reduce risks associated with biased or unsafe AI systems. It also aims to guide states and institutions in structured adoption, ensuring that innovation does not outpace regulatory oversight.

Complementing SAHI, BODH, the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI, has been developed by IIT Kanpur in collaboration with the National Health Authority. BODH operates as a technical validation layer for AI models before they enter clinical environments.

The platform evaluates algorithm performance using real-world datasets while maintaining patient privacy by preventing direct data exposure. Through benchmarking and transparent assessment, BODH is designed to improve accountability and build confidence among healthcare providers and patients.

By introducing SAHI and BODH together, authorities have outlined a dual architecture for India’s health AI ecosystem, policy governance through SAHI and technical validation through BODH.

Healthcare leaders at the summit have emphasized that a country as diverse as India requires uniform guardrails to prevent uneven or unsafe AI adoption. With these frameworks now in place, India has signalled a shift from isolated pilot projects toward coordinated, regulated implementation.

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