Indias Health Diplomacy: Advancing Pharmaceutical and MedTech Leadership in the Global South
Mittal G.C. Chattu V.K. Narayanan P. Clare R. Varghese C.
March 2026John Wiley and Sons Inc
World Medical and Health Policy
2026#18Issue 1
Health diplomacy has become a pivotal aspect of Indias engagement with the Global South, intertwining foreign policy, public health, and global collaboration to address disparities while pursuing strategic interests. Indias pharmaceutical industry, which accounts for nearly 20% of the worlds generics, has positioned the nation as the “pharmacy of the world,” particularly through its significant contributions to HIV/AIDS treatment and the COVID-19 Vaccine Maitri program. In parallel, Indias emerging medical technology (MedTech) sector has expanded access to affordable diagnostics, ventilators, telemedicine, and digital health innovations, with significant implications for healthcare delivery in low- and middle-income countries. This article analyzes the dual function of Indias pharmaceutical and MedTech industries in shaping health diplomacy, highlighting their transformative impact on global health governance, South–South collaboration, and capacity development. Despite challenges such as regulatory barriers, geopolitical rivalry, and reliance on active pharmaceutical ingredients, India is at the forefront of global health collaborations, thanks to its cost advantages, innovation, and digital health. It is thus of interest to analyse Indias shifting health diplomacy as both a humanitarian and a strategic endeavour to spread sustainable healthcare solutions globally.
digital health , Global South , health diplomacy , India , MedTech , pharmaceuticals , South–South cooperations , Vaccine Maitri
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Center for Evidence-Based Diplomacy, Global Health Research and Innovations Canada Inc. (GHRIC), Toronto, ON, Canada
ReSTORE Lab, Department of OS & OT, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Central Asian Regional Center for Planetary Health (CARCPH), Semey Medical University, Semey, Kazakhstan
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (DMIMS), Wardha, India
Department of Global Public Health Policy and Governance, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, India
Centre for Digital Health, Applied Research, and Technology, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, India
Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, India
Center for Evidence-Based Diplomacy
ReSTORE Lab
Central Asian Regional Center for Planetary Health (CARCPH)
Department of Community Medicine
Department of Global Public Health Policy and Governance
Centre for Digital Health
Prasanna School of Public Health
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