In a landmark moment for global health leadership in South Asia, India hosted the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting 2025 for the very first time at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Organized by the National Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in partnership with Ashoka University and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, the event brought together over 4,500 participants from 54 countries, including more than 1,000 prominent health experts, scientists, ministers, and policymakers.
The summit’s central theme, “Scaling Access to Ensure Health Equity,” focused on promoting innovative, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to achieving universal healthcare.
Held for the first time on Indian soil, the summit marks a major milestone in India’s growing influence in the global health arena. It was organized by NIMS, a member of the WHS Academic Alliance, along with Ashoka University and Manipal Academy of Higher Education. This year’s meeting shattered attendance records with registrations exceeding 4,500 participants from across the globe.
The opening ceremony saw the presence of top government and industry leaders, including Mansukh L. Mandaviya (Union Minister for Labour, Employment, Youth Affairs and Sports), Arjun Ram Meghwal (Minister of Law and Justice), Anurag Thakur (Member of Lok Sabha), and Amitabh Kant (India’s G20 Sherpa). Representatives from leading international organizations like WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, and NITI Aayog also participated, reflecting the summit’s strong global collaboration.
Kicking off the event, Anurag Thakur noted,
“Hosting the Summit in India is an honor. In a world where quality healthcare is still often a privilege, India is showing the way forward with citizen-centered, financially protective primary care models. Healthcare will be crucial as India marches towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.”
Minister Mansukh Mandaviya emphasized India’s approach to health as a service, not a business:
“For the world, health might mean commerce, but for India, it is about service. During COVID-19, our healthcare workers demonstrated this spirit. True healthcare access begins when health is treated as a service to society, not a profit-making venture.”
Amitabh Kant added a powerful vision for the future, saying,
“India’s path to becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047 will be fueled by human development, with health at its core. This is not just India’s digital decade—it’s India’s health decade.”
Across the first two days, the summit featured an action-packed agenda: 9 keynote addresses, 80 panel discussions, 12 side meetings, and 4 workshops. Discussions tackled a wide range of issues, including strengthening primary healthcare in South Asia, building resilient and inclusive health systems, and using digital innovations to close the urban-rural healthcare gap. Other panels explored new health financing models, data governance for public health accountability, and the use of AI and digital technologies to boost healthcare quality.
The summit attracted prominent voices from around the world. Some key speakers included Helen Clark (former Prime Minister of New Zealand), Dr. Vinod Paul (NITI Aayog Member), Dr. Soumya Swaminathan (Chairperson, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation), Rajiv Raghuvanshi (Drugs Controller General of India), Cynthia McCaffrey (UNICEF India Representative), and Indu Bhushan (Former CEO of Ayushman Bharat).
Dr. Anurag Agrawal, Dean of BioSciences and Health Research at Ashoka University and head of the Koita Center for Digital Health, moderated a key panel on digital health accreditation. He said,
“India is hosting the Summit at a time when digital health and AI are crucial to expanding last-mile healthcare. Yet, significant gaps remain. This Summit is a vital platform to find collaborative, scalable solutions to improve health outcomes across South Asia.”
Ashoka University also played a major role at the Summit, with faculty members leading important discussions on the role of AI-powered diagnostics in healthcare. Students and young researchers from Ashoka volunteered at the event, gaining invaluable experience in international health cooperation and diplomacy.
As the summit enters its final day, conversations will turn to the role of traditional medicine, building gender-responsive health systems, and forging stronger global health partnerships. With its rich exchange of ideas and powerful collaborations, the WHS Regional Meeting 2025 is poised to leave a lasting imprint on the journey toward health equity in South Asia and beyond.
