In a significant move aimed at strengthening India’s healthcare innovation ecosystem, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Roche Products (India) Pvt. Ltd.. This strategic collaboration seeks to catalyse entrepreneurship and innovation in the healthcare sector, specifically focusing on startups recognised by DPIIT.

The MoU was officially signed on August 1, 2025, by Dr. Sumeet Jarangal, Director, DPIIT, and Ms. Rajwinder Mehdwan, Managing Director, Roche India, in the presence of senior government officials and representatives from Roche. The partnership intends to nurture startups working on critical therapeutic areas, including oncology, neurology, ophthalmology, haematology, and rare diseases—areas that are both underfunded and in urgent need of innovation.

Under the agreement, Roche India will provide mentorship support through its network of global experts, which will help young health-tech startups navigate the complex landscape of medical research, development, and commercialisation. The collaboration will offer assistance in conducting pilot and validation studies, helping startups test and refine their solutions in real-world settings. In addition, startups will gain access to cutting-edge technologies, laboratory infrastructure, and international platforms, giving them much-needed visibility and scalability.

This initiative aligns with DPIIT’s broader vision to position India as a global leader in inclusive and patient-centric healthcare innovation. Startups often face bottlenecks in accessing specialised knowledge, funding, clinical validation opportunities, and international regulatory frameworks. The DPIIT-Roche collaboration aims to bridge these gaps by guiding entrepreneurs through regulatory processes, intellectual property (IP) management, and compliance with global health standards.

Mr. Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary at DPIIT, emphasised the strategic importance of industry–startup collaborations, especially in a domain as critical as public health. According to him, mainstreaming disruptive technologies, such as AI-driven diagnostics, precision medicine, and patient-centric platforms, requires multi-stakeholder synergy—a goal this MoU is designed to accomplish.

One of the highlights of this partnership is its focus on capacity building in key functional areas such as Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), Good Clinical Practices (GCP), and patient engagement strategies. These disciplines are vital for evaluating the real-world impact of healthcare innovations, ensuring they are not only scientifically sound but also economically viable and socially inclusive.

The MoU also aims to promote equity in healthcare by encouraging startups to develop accessible and affordable solutions for underserved populations. This is particularly significant in the context of rare diseases and chronic conditions, where diagnosis and treatment remain out of reach for many in India.

This collaboration comes at a time when India is witnessing exponential growth in the health-tech startup space. As of mid-2025, there are over 1,500 health-focused startups recognised by DPIIT, many of which are working on next-generation diagnostics, wearable devices, digital health records, telemedicine, and AI-based medical tools. However, a large number of these startups face scalability issues due to lack of clinical validation, limited market access, and technical barriers.

By partnering with Roche, a global pharmaceutical and diagnostics leader, DPIIT is enabling Indian startups to gain global exposure, not just in terms of technology, but also in ethics, safety, and regulatory readiness. Roche’s global expertise in clinical trials, drug development, and health policy offers a valuable knowledge base for startups to innovate responsibly.

Another dimension of the MoU involves collaborative engagements with hospitals, academia, and research institutions. DPIIT and Roche will jointly explore opportunities to connect startups with healthcare providers for product co-development, clinical testing, and real-world feedback collection. These activities will contribute to creating a robust and evidence-backed innovation pipeline in the Indian healthcare system.

Additionally, the partnership promotes awareness and training related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), helping startups secure patents and trademarks for their innovations. Protecting IP is critical in health innovation, where years of research and clinical data often go into developing a single solution.

This MoU is in line with India’s commitment to meeting UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. The DPIIT-Roche collaboration has the potential to democratise healthcare access by ensuring that innovative solutions are clinically validated, cost-effective, and globally scalable.

In conclusion, the signing of this MoU represents a major milestone in India’s journey toward transformative healthcare innovation. By fostering an environment where industry expertise meets grassroots innovation, DPIIT and Roche India are laying the groundwork for a resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive healthcare ecosystem. The move is expected to inspire similar public-private partnerships that will further accelerate India’s rise as a health-tech powerhouse on the global stage.

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