India convened a high-level regional dialogue in New Delhi to strengthen health research systems across South and Southeast Asia, bringing together representatives from Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, and India. Hosted by the Indian Council of Medical Research under the Department of Health Research, the meeting marked a decisive step toward aligning scientific inquiry with policy, accelerating regional preparedness, and building sustainable health systems.
The dialogue featured participation from leading experts including Dr V.K. Paul of NITI Aayog, Amit Agrawal from the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Drugs Controller General Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, and senior advisors from the Public Health Foundation of India, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, Anusandhan National Research Foundation, and the Department of Biotechnology. Discussions focused on translating research into actionable policy, fostering innovation in medical technology, and expanding regional capacity through joint training and shared tools.
Amit Agrawal urged regional partners to engage with India’s open innovation platforms to nurture start-ups and deliver affordable health solutions. Dr Rajiv Bahl emphasized that science diplomacy and South-South collaboration remain central to India’s strategy, with a focus on mutual capacity building and people-centric research.
The countries reached consensus on structured collaboration mechanisms including annual and biannual convenings, exchange visits, and joint programmes in research methods, ethics, grant writing, and science communication. Priority areas identified include antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable diseases, maternal health, pandemic preparedness, and One Health.
ICMR committed to sharing its resources such as ethics review templates and free online training modules to support emerging research systems. The meeting concluded with a collective pledge to move from knowledge-sharing to joint action, ensuring that regional health research directly responds to shared challenges and future needs.
