India sets new benchmarks in medical research: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh

Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. File | Photo credit: ANI

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday (July 13, 2026) said India is setting new benchmarks in medical research and developing home-grown solutions to global health problems through gene therapy and nuclear medicine.

India’s healthcare system is also becoming more self-sufficient, he said in a speech at the 22nd convocation ceremony of King George’s Medical University in Lucknow.

“Today, India’s healthcare system has emerged as more self-sufficient, accessible, affordable, modern and people-centric as compared to earlier times. Today, India is developing home-grown solutions to global health problems through gene therapy, nuclear medicine and other modern technologies,” said Mr. Singh.

The Lok Sabha MP said that scientists in the country have successfully demonstrated indigenous gene therapy to treat hemophilia, while scientists from the Pune institute have developed state-of-the-art nanomedicine to treat breast cancer.

The ‘Production Linked Incentive’ scheme, he said, has given a new impetus to domestic manufacturing of medical equipment.

“In 2024, we developed nafithromycin – the first domestic macrolide antibiotic. It will prove highly effective in treating community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. Today, India is rapidly moving towards self-sufficiency in healthcare. In 2023, we developed the first domestic MRI machine that is affordable, lightweight, ultra-fast, ultra-fast, ultra-fast, Sh

The minister noted that people across the country are getting high quality medicines at very affordable prices through more than 19,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

Mr. Singh also asked health workers to take care of their health, noting that they work in a high-stress environment that can negatively affect their health.

He said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, health services in Uttar Pradesh have also seen significant improvement in the last nine years.

Before 2017, there were only 17 medical colleges in the state, while today 81 medical colleges are functioning across the state.

Two AIIMS are also functional in the state, which means that Uttar Pradesh has now crossed the milestone of ‘One District – One Medical College’, he said.

“The quality of health services can improve only if sufficient number of doctors and specialists are available. With this vision in mind, our government has undertaken an unprecedented expansion of medical education,” Mr. Singh said.

Published – 13 Jul 2026 16:46 IST