Key Highlights

• National surge: Robotic-assisted procedures in India grew from 8,912 in 2021 to 44,857 in 2025, about five times.
• Delhi NCR leads: The region's procedures rose from 2,257 to 10,937, with 39 hospitals owning robotic systems.
• Top specialities: In Delhi NCR, benign general surgery (33%) and urology (30.2%) lead, followed by gynaecology (22.1%).
• Big ambition: A senior surgeon said India could become a global leader by 2030, potentially overtaking the US.
• Govt push: JP Nadda said India has the opportunity to "innovate, develop and lead" this technology.

Robotic surgery, once limited to a few elite hospitals, is spreading fast across India. Data presented at the international conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) shows robotic-assisted procedures rising roughly five-fold nationwide in four years.

Addressing the conference virtually, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said, "India stands at an exciting juncture in healthcare innovation, with our strength in technology, artificial intelligence, digital health and a rapidly expanding ecosystem of surgical robotics." He said India has the opportunity to innovate, develop and lead this technology.

The Numbers

That works out to growth of roughly 50% a year nationally. Delhi NCR accounts for about a quarter of all robotic procedures in India, a share that has stayed largely stable even as the rest of the country has caught up.

Delhi NCR: India's Robotic Hub

About 39 hospitals in Delhi NCR now have robotic systems, and 11 of them have more than one, making it the country's leading centre for installations.

What Procedures Are Done Robotically?

Why It Matters: Growth Beyond the Big Cities

The most telling detail in the data is that national growth slightly outpaced Delhi NCR's. That suggests robotic surgery is no longer confined to one or two metros, but is spreading to hospitals in other cities as well.

Dr Vivek Bindal, Organising Chairman of SRS India and head of minimal access, bariatric and robotic surgery at Max Hospital, credited Delhi's lead to "the combined efforts of pioneering surgeons, high-volume hospitals and multidisciplinary teams."

The 2030 Claim

Dr Anup Kumar, Organising Chairman (Urology) and head of urology at Safdarjung Hospital, said India could emerge as a global leader in robotic surgery by 2030 and potentially surpass established leaders such as the United States.

It is an ambitious projection. India's rapid growth is clear, but the claim depends on whether that pace can be sustained, and on whether access widens beyond large private hospitals to public and smaller-city facilities. Safdarjung, a government hospital, being part of the conversation is a sign that public institutions are also entering the field.

The Bottom Line

India's robotic surgery numbers have grown five-fold in four years, led by Delhi NCR but increasingly spread nationwide. Whether India can truly lead the world will depend on making the technology available not just to more hospitals, but to more patients.

With inputs from IANS.

Key Highlights

• National surge: Robotic-assisted procedures in India grew from 8,912 in 2021 to 44,857 in 2025, about five times.
• Delhi NCR leads: The region's procedures rose from 2,257 to 10,937, with 39 hospitals owning robotic systems.
• Top specialities: In Delhi NCR, benign general surgery (33%) and urology (30.2%) lead, followed by gynaecology (22.1%).
• Big ambition: A senior surgeon said India could become a global leader by 2030, potentially overtaking the US.
• Govt push: JP Nadda said India has the opportunity to "innovate, develop and lead" this technology.

Robotic surgery, once limited to a few elite hospitals, is spreading fast across India. Data presented at the international conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) shows robotic-assisted procedures rising roughly five-fold nationwide in four years.

Addressing the conference virtually, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said, "India stands at an exciting juncture in healthcare innovation, with our strength in technology, artificial intelligence, digital health and a rapidly expanding ecosystem of surgical robotics." He said India has the opportunity to innovate, develop and lead this technology.

The Numbers

That works out to growth of roughly 50% a year nationally. Delhi NCR accounts for about a quarter of all robotic procedures in India, a share that has stayed largely stable even as the rest of the country has caught up.

Delhi NCR: India's Robotic Hub

About 39 hospitals in Delhi NCR now have robotic systems, and 11 of them have more than one, making it the country's leading centre for installations.

What Procedures Are Done Robotically?

Why It Matters: Growth Beyond the Big Cities

The most telling detail in the data is that national growth slightly outpaced Delhi NCR's. That suggests robotic surgery is no longer confined to one or two metros, but is spreading to hospitals in other cities as well.

Dr Vivek Bindal, Organising Chairman of SRS India and head of minimal access, bariatric and robotic surgery at Max Hospital, credited Delhi's lead to "the combined efforts of pioneering surgeons, high-volume hospitals and multidisciplinary teams."

The 2030 Claim

Dr Anup Kumar, Organising Chairman (Urology) and head of urology at Safdarjung Hospital, said India could emerge as a global leader in robotic surgery by 2030 and potentially surpass established leaders such as the United States.

It is an ambitious projection. India's rapid growth is clear, but the claim depends on whether that pace can be sustained, and on whether access widens beyond large private hospitals to public and smaller-city facilities. Safdarjung, a government hospital, being part of the conversation is a sign that public institutions are also entering the field.

The Bottom Line

India's robotic surgery numbers have grown five-fold in four years, led by Delhi NCR but increasingly spread nationwide. Whether India can truly lead the world will depend on making the technology available not just to more hospitals, but to more patients.

With inputs from IANS.