India’s health research faces a bigger test: Can evidence actually change lives
The measure of success, speakers suggested, is therefore shifting, from how much research India produces to how much difference that research makes in people’s lives
India’s health research story is no longer just about producing more studies or increasing publication numbers. The bigger test is ensuring that evidence reaches policymakers, doctors and patients, and ultimately improves health outcomes.
This was the central message at the BMJ Research Forum South Asia 2026, held in New Delhi under the theme “Driving Real-World Impact from Health Research in India”. Researchers, clinicians, healthcare leaders, policymakers, editors, funders and community representatives discussed ways to bridge the persistent gap between evidence and action.
The question at the heart of the discussions was simple: What actually changes because of the research being done?
The forum opened with a keynote address by Major General (Prof) Dr Atul Kotwal, followed by a leadership perspective from Dr B S Ajaikumar, founder and chairman of HealthCare Global Enterprises. Speakers stressed that research must not end with publication but should inform policy decisions, improve clinical practice and deliver measurable benefits to communities.
A key session on translating research into practice, moderated by Dr Vikram Datta, Director Professor and Medical Superintendent, Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, brought together Lt Gen Dr Madhuri Kanitkar, Dr Arun Singh, Dr Pramod Garg and Dr B Unnikrishnan.
“For a young researcher, it is important to understand national frameworks and guidelines, but equally important to understand what happens at the point of care,” Datta said. He stressed that researchers must look beyond whether their work is scientifically robust and consider how it will reach the communities and settings for which it is intended.
Kanitkar said India’s scale gives its health research efforts implications far beyond the country.
“India contributes to nearly a sixth of the world’s population. Strengthening our contribution to health research could have a significant impact, not only in India but on health systems globally,” she said.
She pointed to India’s achievements in vaccines and generic medicines, and its advances in areas such as cell and gene therapy. At the same time, she underlined the need for researchers, policymakers and healthcare institutions to work together to turn evidence into solutions that function in real-world settings.
The discussion also examined major government initiatives, including the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, PM-ABHIM, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and One Nation One Subscription. Speakers highlighted the need to connect these expanding systems and resources with research capable of addressing problems on the ground.
But the forum also raised a more fundamental question: Who is health research ultimately meant to serve?
A dedicated community voice panel, chaired by Dr B S Garg, Secretary, Kasturba Health Society, and Director, Dr Sushila Nayar School of Public Health, focused on quality, equity and access, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised populations.
Dr Garg said research must be driven by the priorities of the people it is intended to serve. He pointed to persistent concerns around quality of care, equity and out-of-pocket expenditure, particularly among vulnerable and marginalised communities in peri-urban and rural areas.
The discussions underscored a broader challenge for India: building a health research ecosystem in which good evidence does not merely get published but is implemented.
The measure of success, speakers suggested, is therefore shifting, from how much research India produces to how much difference that research makes in people’s lives.
