Union Health Minister J P Nadda has launched the Unified Health Interface (UHI), an interoperable digital network under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). UHI aims to connect patients and healthcare providers across various digital platforms, addressing fragmentation in India's digital health ecosystem and improving access to verified services, especially in rural areas.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda has emphasised the need for sound regulation, ethical oversight, and equity in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to healthcare, speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.
Private hospitals accounted for 30.8 per cent of current health expenditure in FY23, while pharmaceuticals and medical goods contributed more than 21 per cent, underlining continued dependence on private healthcare and medicine spending.
The CEO of the National Health Authority, Sunil Kumar Barnwal, highlighted BRICS nations' shared aspiration for connected, patient-centric, and resilient healthcare systems through digital health infrastructure and responsible AI. Discussions at the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' meeting focused on overcoming challenges like limited interoperability and workforce constraints, with countries like Brazil and Indonesia sharing successful digital health initiatives.
'Applying AI to change the lives of Indians and at population scale -- just like we did with DPI [digital public infrastructure] -- is really where it's going to go.'
Early and premature menopause can heighten risks of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, metabolic disorders, cognitive decline, depression and early death and are major public health concerns. The conditions also seriously affect a woman's quality of life.
The National Medical Commission is emphasising the importance of preparing doctors and healthcare systems for the responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence, highlighting the need for ethical and equitable AI adoption in healthcare.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to alter hiring patterns in South Asia, with multinational companies (MNCs) and firms integrated into global value chains (GVCs) reducing recruitment more sharply than domestic firms, signalling the technology's early impact on the region's export-oriented services sector, according to the World Bank's World Development Report 2026.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced the establishment of India's first government-driven Artificial Intelligence University and an AI Hub in Bengaluru. This initiative aims to position Karnataka as a global leader in responsible AI innovation, fostering talent, research, and collaboration. The state seeks to become an AI-native state, leveraging AI to improve governance and daily life across various sectors.
Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the strong health cooperation within BRICS, emphasising the critical role of digital health and artificial intelligence in ensuring continuity of care. Speaking at the 16th BRICS Health Ministers' meeting, she noted shared challenges among member nations and showcased India's advancements in digital health infrastructure and AI strategy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated 11 years of the Digital India initiative, highlighting its role in redefining governance, empowering citizens, and accelerating all-round development. He emphasised its impact on digital payments, direct benefit transfers, and expanding digital public infrastructure, making technology a powerful instrument for 'Ease of Living' across India, including tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
The physical centres will operate on a monthly subscription model, where access would be limited to verified active gig workers and platform verification.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.
Global technology giant Google has announced the selection of 20 Indian AI startups for its 2026 Google for Startups Accelerator programme, marking the 10th anniversary of its accelerator initiatives.
The failure of the State when it directly affects our lives, through a corrupt exam system, has produced this current anger, points out Aakar Patel.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health, visited Mumbai to understand India's digital public infrastructure, including UPI and AI, in improving financial health for salaried individuals. She interacted with healthcare professionals and SalarySe leaders, praising India's advancements in financial inclusion and technology's role in empowering individuals.
For India, the guiding principle should remain clear: Engage Bangladesh as a sovereign nation and society rather than through the prism of any individual leader or political party, suggests Manoj Mohanka.
Over the past year, the sale of injectable GLP-1 agonists (used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity) such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic have surged a whopping 218 per cent.
The initiative is expected to begin with operations in Guntur, with both parties working towards enabling 10,000 daily drone flights across Andhra Pradesh over the coming year, a scale that could position the state among the largest commercial drone delivery networks globally.
Most first-time investors may be better served by diversified options such as flexicap or multi-cap funds, which already hold pharma and healthcare stocks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will come into effect on July 15, 2026, anticipating a significant boost to bilateral trade and investment.
As the rupee weakens, wealthy families are accelerating investments in global assets.
Rising study-abroad costs are prompting families to use education loans strategically while preserving savings, liquidity and long-term financial stability, says Yogesh Rawat
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced a global partnership with AI major Anthropic to help enterprises accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence, including equipping 50,000 TCS employees with Anthropic's Claude AI models.
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan has championed the use of artificial intelligence for good governance, highlighting its potential to improve government services and build an inclusive and efficient India.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
The surge has come alongside a decline in average issue sizes and more muted listing-day returns compared with last year.
'When I look at India's relative valuations, these are by far the lowest I have seen in my 35-year career.' 'The relative 12-month trailing performance is among the weakest I have seen, and foreign investor positioning is at a 16-17 year low.'
The launch highlights the growing maturity of India's nuclear medicine ecosystem.
Nebex, founded by former Axiom Space executives, aims to build commercial infrastructure for the global space economy.
State Bank of India Chairman C S Setty has expressed support for a 'pause' in policy rates by the Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy committee, believing it will help stabilise conditions and support economic growth. He also urged investors to look beyond short-term equity market movements and focus on India's structural transformation, driven by reforms and digital infrastructure.
Badminton player Jwala Gutta is raising awareness about the importance of breast milk donation, revealing she donated nearly 60 litres to hospitals in Hyderabad and Chennai.
India has launched its first integrated phygital service centre in Umri village, Madhya Pradesh, aiming to provide online services and boost rural development through digital connectivity and various essential services.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched indigenous robotic technologies, Project Vimana and Project Operion, designed to perform life-saving surgeries on the battlefield, potentially revolutionising emergency care for injured security personnel.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has released its manifesto for the West Bengal elections, focusing on welfare politics and women's empowerment with pledges to expand existing schemes, improve healthcare, and develop infrastructure.
Andhra Pradesh is set to launch India's first indigenously built, open-access quantum computers, marking a significant step towards building a sovereign quantum hardware ecosystem. The initiative aims to position the state as a global hub for quantum technology and enable applications in various sectors.
World Bank President Ajay Banga has advocated for the deployment of 'Small AI' locally deployed artificial intelligence running on inexpensive hardware to address daily problems faced by farmers and rural communities in emerging markets.
India's first trillion-dollar company will be built on technology it owns, not just operates, predicts Ajay Kumar.
A US federal judge has ruled that the USD 100,000 fee imposed by former President Donald Trump for H-1B visa applications was unlawful, as it lacked congressional approval. The ruling states the fee was a tax, exceeding the administration's authority and impacting skilled global talent.
Earlier, most investors counted on traditional options like fixed deposits, gold, or property. But in 2026, you will have access to a much wider range of opportunities across different markets and sectors.
