PUTIN VISIT: HOW INDIA CAN BE THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OF THE WORLD

The India-Russia agreement on healthcare, medical education, and science, signed on December 5, 2025, during President Putin's visit to New Delhi, deepens institutional collaboration and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and personnel between the two nations.

- DR P.S.VENKATESH RAO

Among several key areas of collaboration, we will be advancing digital technologies in healthcare, including telemedicine, strengthening the regulation of medicines and medical devices, and sharing quality standards. This is a significant step towards making India not just the “Pharmacy of the World,” but the healthcare provider of the world, through vaccines, drugs, medical disposables and equipment, telemedicine, telemonitoring, and health tourism. India has a robust national telemedicine service, and e-Sanjeevani has served millions of patients and offers a successful model for implementation, particularly in rural areas. Russia and other large nations like Canada and Australia can leverage this expertise and experience.

LEGAL HURDLES IN RUSSIA

A major historical barrier in Russia was the legal prohibition on doctors making an initial diagnosis or prescribing treatment via a remote consultation alone; a face-to-face visit was required first. In 2023, an experimental legal regime (EPR) was introduced to allow doctors in participating clinics to adjust treatment and prescribe medication online, even for patients in different regions. In May 2025, the Russian Ministry of Health approved a new order allowing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to support medical decision-making during delayed telemedicine consultations. Telehealth services require precise identification and authentication of both patients and healthcare providers through state-approved IT systems, such as the Unified System of Identification and Authentication (ESIA).

HANDICAPS