Nadda says drug QR codes now mandatory as India steps up digital health funding and tie-ups

India is accelerating its digital health agenda on multiple fronts, pairing tighter drug traceability rules with fresh global funding and new research partnerships. Health minister J.P. Nadda said it is now mandatory to include a bar code or quick response (QR) code on the top 300 drug brands.

He also said QR codes are required on all Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) packs, whether imported or manufactured in India, a move aimed at strengthening the drug supply chain. At a recent pledge round, Timor-Leste led with a $1 million pledge.

India committed the largest amount, including $250 million for the Centre for Excellence for Traditional Medicine, $10 million for digital health, $38 million for a new premises for WHO’s Regional Office and $4.6 million for thematic funding. Indonesia and Bhutan committed to provide pledge amounts in the coming weeks.

Amid a push for international collaboration, a speaker said both India and the UK face the same challenges of rising demand, and that future success will lie in harnessing digital data, improvement sites and innovation to benefit patients, communities and healthcare staff.

“So the UK companies that we have brought today bring a range of expertise in all these areas. They are looking for partnerships with leading Indian hospitals and healthcare providers and with tech companies to spread innovation to benefit patients in India,” he added.

In industry tie-ups, a Memorandum of Understanding was recently signed between Apollo Hospitals and Monash University. The collaboration includes data and technology sharing, staff training for Apollo, and hands-on project experience for Monash students, with a focus on developing AI-driven healthcare solutions.

Technology’s growing role in care delivery is also visible at the patient level. For individuals at risk of cardiac issues—due to lifestyle, family history or existing conditions—wearables are acting like early warning systems, prompting users to seek care before symptoms escalate and bridging the gap between awareness and action.

Experts say India is transforming healthcare by harnessing AI for access and affordability while accelerating bioscience innovation and addressing ethical challenges. Dr. Anurag Agrawal, dean of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University, has emphasized that trust, scale and grassroots integration are key to making intelligent, inclusive and humane healthcare a reality.

Building trust emerged as a critical theme in discussions on healthcare governance, with speakers highlighting the need to combat fraud, enhance regulatory frameworks and uphold integrity across service delivery. They underscored that a culture of accountability and ethical practice is essential to strengthen patient rights and advance outcomes in India.

Together, these measures—regulatory tightening, international funding, research partnerships and consumer-facing technologies—underline the momentum behind India’s bid to build a more connected, data-driven healthcare system.