India-Japan Healthcare Dialogue Advances Cooperation in Digital Health, NCDs and Supply Chains

Ziraat Times Team Report 

New Delhi, May 5: Jagat Prakash Nadda and Kimi Onoda on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the health sector during the 3rd India-Japan Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) held at Bharat Mandapam.

The high-level meeting, co-chaired by the two ministers, brought together senior officials from both countries to review ongoing collaborations and explore new avenues in healthcare, technology, and research.

Welcoming the Japanese delegation, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted that India and Japan share a partnership rooted in mutual trust and a forward-looking vision. She noted that the Joint Committee mechanism has played a key role in deepening engagement through sustained dialogue and cooperation.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda said the meeting reflected the shared commitment of both nations to strengthen health systems, improve accessibility, and promote innovation for better health outcomes. He reiterated India’s focus on inclusive development under the guiding principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” and described the JCM as an important platform for advancing bilateral ties in healthcare.

On her part, Onoda underscored Japan’s continued engagement in the partnership, particularly in advancing healthcare through innovation, technology, and research, while expressing confidence in further expanding cooperation.

During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions across several priority areas.

On non-communicable diseases (NCDs), India outlined its growing disease burden and a comprehensive response strategy based on early screening, continuous care, and health promotion aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Japan shared its ongoing initiatives, including collaboration on cancer screening, early diagnosis, and strengthening treatment systems through technical support.

In the area of supply chain resilience and access to medical products, India emphasized its expanding pharmaceutical and medical devices manufacturing capacity, aimed at reducing dependency and ensuring affordable healthcare. Japan highlighted its public-private partnership model designed to enhance access and strengthen supply chains.

Digital health also featured prominently in the discussions. India presented progress under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, focusing on building an interoperable and citizen-centric health ecosystem. Japan shared its experience in leveraging digital technologies, including AI-enabled medical systems and integrated platforms.

On human resource development, both countries discussed frameworks for skill development, joint training programmes, and exchange initiatives. India emphasized its efforts to build a globally competitive healthcare workforce, while Japan highlighted collaborative research and personnel exchange programmes.

In his concluding remarks, Nadda said the deliberations had injected renewed momentum into India-Japan health cooperation and set a clear direction for future engagement. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to translating the outcomes of the meeting into tangible benefits for citizens.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides expressing optimism about further strengthening their “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” in the healthcare sector.