MedTech zone innovative program selected for BRICS+ Global Initiative

New Delhi: In a landmark recognition of India’s growing global footprint in healthcare innovation, the World Health Innovation Forum (WHIF), headquartered at Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), has been selected as the only global initiative to join the
prestigious BRICS+ Manufacturing Working Group.

This inter-governmental platform plays a key role in shaping manufacturing collaboration and industrial policy among BRICS nations and the wider Global South.

The announcement comes at a pivotal moment, as India prepares to assume the BRICS
Presidency in 2026. WHIF’s inclusion signifies a powerful endorsement of India’s medtech
capabilities and Vizag’s emergence as a hub for South-South collaboration in health innovation. The forum’s selection positions India not just as a consumer of global technology but as a co-architect of next-generation healthcare solutions—manufactured, regulated, and scaled in the Global South, for the Global South.

Dr. Jitendra Sharma, MD and Founder CEO of AMTZ, remarked, “This selection confirms India’s leadership in frugal innovation and system-ready technologies. WHIF’s model—developed at AMTZ—bridges global South needs with world-class healthtech capabilities. Partnering with WHO and Kalam Institute, which is a WHO Collaborating Centre is a game changer.”

Headquartered at AMTZ—the world’s largest integrated medical device manufacturing
zone—WHIF has already established itself as a leading platform for inclusive, affordable, and system-ready healthtech. Through initiatives like the iPassport program, the World Health Innovation Fellowship, and EntrepreNari, WHIF has enabled engineers, startups, and women entrepreneurs from over 20 low- and middle-income countries to access world-class
infrastructure, regulatory support, and policy networks in India.

Now, as part of the BRICS+ Manufacturing Working Group, WHIF will help lead joint research and development corridors, expand cross-border access to India’s advanced testing and manufacturing facilities, and localize medical innovation ecosystems across partner countries.

WHIF chief operating officer Mohini Mehta called the selection “a landmark validation of India’s health innovation model.” She added, “Being part of BRICS+ is not just a recognition, but a responsibility to co-create sovereign, scalable health solutions for the world using ultra low cost medical technologies.”