Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital launches India's first Tele-Robotic Surgery program

It is powered by Reliance Jio and the initiative marks a new era in remote surgical care in India, a release said.

Through this program, expert surgeons at HNRFH will remotely perform and guide robotic-assisted surgeries at partner healthcare centres across the country.

The program aims to eliminate barriers that traditionally prevent patients in distant geographies from accessing advanced surgical interventions. By reducing the need for travel and ensuring timely access to expertise, this initiative significantly narrows the urban-rural healthcare gap.

The first tele-robotic surgery under this program has been successfully performed at the Community Medical Centre, Jamnagar, Gujarat, led by the hospital's Director of Urology-Oncology.

"This landmark achievement sets a new benchmark in India's telemedicine and robotic surgery landscape," the release said.

"Powered by cutting-edge robotic systems and secure, high-speed digital connectivity enabled by Reliance Jio, the platform ensures exceptional surgical accuracy, reliability, and real-time clinical collaboration," it added.

A multidisciplinary team from HNRFH supported the procedure. The program also strengthens continuous mentoring and capacity-building for on-ground medical teams in Jamnagar and surrounding regions.

At an institutional level, the Tele-Robotic Surgery Program underlines HNRFH's commitment to digital innovation and its mission to extend specialised care far beyond metropolitan boundaries, the release said.

It also embodies the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat, employing an indigenously developed Indian robotic surgical system capable of real-time tele-transmission.

Commenting on the launch, Dr Tarang Gianchandani, Group CEO - Healthcare Initiatives and Chief Executive Officer, Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital said that advanced healthcare must not be limited by geography.

"For decades, specialised surgical care has remained concentrated in a few urban centres, leaving millions without timely access to treatment. Through our Tele-Robotic Surgery Program, we are changing that reality by reimagining how complex surgical care is delivered across India - powered by indigenous innovation, advanced robotics, and secure digital infrastructure. By enabling our surgeons in Mumbai to remotely perform procedures for patients across the country, we are taking world-class expertise to where it is needed most. This initiative reflects our belief that technology, guided by compassion and responsibility, must ultimately serve people - delivering excellence in care closer to home, with dignity, continuity, and trust."

Anish Shah, COO, Jio Platforms, said that the Tele-Robotic Surgery Program, at a remote location in Jamnagar, is a powerful demonstration of how Jio's digital infrastructure can transform essential services at a national scale.

"Our vision has always been to build a connected, technologically empowered India where world-class expertise and critical services reach every citizen - no matter where they live. By providing the secure, ultra-low-latency connectivity required for remote robotic surgeries, we are helping redefine what equitable access to advanced healthcare can look like across the country."

"This collaboration shows how next-generation digital networks can unlock new possibilities in medicine by bridging distant geographies and bringing life-saving, high-precision care closer to patients. We are proud to support this milestone and remain committed to enabling innovations in far-flung areas that improve lives and strengthen India's healthcare ecosystem," he added.

Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital, located in Girgaon, South Mumbai, is a 360-bed, multi-specialty quaternary care hospital.

Built to international standards, the hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities, including advanced Laboratories, Radiology & Imaging, and Nuclear Medicine. (ANI)