India-Japan Healthcare Meet: Nadda, Onoda Boost Bilateral Health Ties

Welcoming the delegation, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava noted that India and Japan share a partnership grounded in mutual respect, trust, and a shared vision for the future. She underlined that the Joint Committee Meeting, held under the India-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation, has served as an important platform for advancing this partnership through regular dialogue and deeper mutual understanding, and expressed confidence that the deliberations would be constructive and forward-looking.

Speaking on the occasion, Nadda underscored that the meeting reflects the shared commitment of both countries to deepen collaboration and foster new partnerships in the health sector. He noted that India-Japan cooperation in healthcare is guided by the Memorandum of Cooperation in Healthcare and Wellness, and a shared vision of strengthening health systems, improving accessibility, and promoting innovation for better health outcomes.

Nadda highlighted the long-standing and multifaceted relationship between India and Japan, rooted in over a century of engagement across sectors, and reiterated India's commitment to inclusive development under the guiding principle of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas." He emphasised that the Joint Committee Meeting serves as a vital platform to advance bilateral cooperation in healthcare.

Addressing the meeting, Onoda reinforced Japan's continued engagement in advancing healthcare cooperation through innovation, technology, and research, while expressing commitment to further strengthening bilateral collaboration.

During the Joint Committee Meeting, detailed presentations and discussions were held across key priority areas, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The Indian side presented the evolving disease burden, emphasising the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases and outlining a comprehensive response framework based on screening, continuum of care, and sustained health promotion aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Japanese side shared ongoing cooperation initiatives, including projects focused on cancer screening, early diagnosis, and strengthening treatment systems through technical collaboration and institutional capacity building.

Regarding supply chain resilience and access to high-quality medical products and services, the Indian side highlighted the scale and capacity of its pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors, focusing on strengthening domestic manufacturing, reducing dependency, and ensuring affordable access through targeted policy measures. The Japanese side elaborated on its coordinated public-private collaboration model aimed at enhancing access to medical products and services, building resilient supply chains, and facilitating technology deployment through structured partnerships.

On digital health, the Indian side outlined its Digital Public Infrastructure approach under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, enabling an interoperable, secure, and citizen-centric digital health ecosystem with significant progress in adoption and integration. The Japanese side shared its experience in advancing digitalisation through system integration, AI-enabled medical technologies, and collaborative research leveraging emerging digital platforms.

In the area of human resource development and exchange, the Indian side highlighted its policy and regulatory ecosystem supporting a skilled and globally competitive healthcare workforce, along with structured pathways for exchange programmes, joint training, and mutual recognition of competencies. The Japanese side detailed ongoing cooperation frameworks supporting joint research, personnel exchanges, and collaborative scientific engagements in the medical field.

In his closing remarks, Nadda stated that the deliberations have imparted renewed momentum to the India-Japan health partnership and reaffirmed the shared commitment to deepen cooperation across key priority areas. He emphasised that the discussions have set a clear direction for strengthening resilient and inclusive health systems. He further noted that the outcomes of the meeting provide a strong foundation for advancing cooperation and reiterated India's commitment to working closely with Japan to translate shared intent into meaningful outcomes for citizens of both countries.

Reinforcing Japan's commitment to further advancing cooperation, Onoda reiterated Japan's resolve to strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership in the health sector. Both sides expressed optimism about further strengthening bilateral cooperation to achieve better health outcomes for their citizens.

- ANI