Medical innovation in LMICs: can India lead the way?

India is gradually transforming from a manufacturer of generic drugs and vaccines into a source of biomedical innovation. The country is investing significant financial resources, including $12 billion for research and development and $1.25 billion for artificial intelligence. The Indian innovation model combines affordable solutions with population diversity and digital infrastructure, visible in examples such as the domestically developed NexCAR19 CAR-T cell therapy and the low-cost Rotavac rotavirus vaccine. The GenomeIndia project mapped 10,000 genomes across 83 populations and revealed genetic variations, including lean type 5 diabetes linked to early-life malnutrition. India has a population of 1.4 billion with 4,600 endogamous groups, representing invaluable population diversity for medical research. Digital infrastructure, including health IDs for 840 million people and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, supports health data integration. India is extending its innovation model beyond its borders through United Nations-backed initiatives.