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 To ensure that India’s National AI Strategy for Health is grounded in real-world needs, the Indian Council of Medical Research--National Institute for Research in Digital Health and Data Science (ICMR–NIRDHDS) has invited institutions to join in a series of multistakeholder consultations across the country.
ICMR-NIRDHDS is the only Institute for research in digital health and data science in India.
ICMR–NIRDHDS with technical support of World Health Organization South--East Asia Region (WHO SEARO) and institutional support from Koita centre for Digital Health (KCDH) Ashoka University will host partner consultations as part of the development of the National AI Strategy for Health.
India is in the process of formulating its first comprehensive National AI Strategy for Health. This serves as a roadmap that will guide the responsible, ethical, and people-centred adoption of artificial intelligence across the health sector.
Application window is open until December 8, 2025 and consultations will be hosted between December 10, 2025 and January 10, 2026.
Partner Consultations aim to bring together multi-sectoral stakeholders - including public health experts, technologists, researchers, civil society, healthcare providers, and industry partners - to provide feedback, share insights, and contribute to the co-development of India’s national roadmap for the responsible and equitable use of AI in health.
Eligible partners for consultations include academic and research institutions, Government and public health bodies, civil society organizations and think tanks, industry and private sector partners, multilateral organizations and professional associations. It also includes any institution working in health, digital innovation, AI, data governance, or health systems strengthening
ICMR–NIRDHDS supports excellence in the development, application through the technical consultation and research, education, publications, dissemination and advocacy. Its members serve in government and academia, advancing research and promoting sound practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare.
It is one of the 26 permanent institutes of ICMR, New Delhi and has been known as NIRDHDS from April 10, 2024. It was earlier known as National Institute for Research in Medical Statistics (NIMS) and came into existence in the year 2005. Before this, it was known as Institute for research in medical statistics (IRMS), which came into existence in the year 1977 with the mandate to provide technical expertise on research methodology, programme evaluation, mathematical modelling, data analysis etc.
The tremendous involvement in the areas of medical digital health and data science, bio-medical and bio-behavioural research, surveillance of communicable and non-communicable diseases, epidemiology, nutrition research, reproductive and child health and cancer research necessitated the renaming of the IRMS as NIMS and NIMS as NIRDHDS. The move enhanced not only the status of the Institute but also enabled it to develop e-database of health sector reforms in India apart from strengthening its resources base and capacity building.
The Institute provides digital health and data science back up for designing and analysis of disease surveillance, clinical trials of drugs and vaccines. It provides valuable inputs to the estimation of HIV infection in India. It has examined access and utilization of Ayush in general population and population covered under Central Government Health Services (CGHS). Exercising surveillance of ICMR's various research programmes for ensuring digital data adequacy and validity is one the important areas from its mandate. Organizing training programmes in the areas of research methodology in biomedical research has been the feature of the Institute.
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