Artificial intelligence (AI) could fundamentally transform India's battle against tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer by enabling earlier detection, faster diagnosis, and more efficient patient screening, leading medical experts said on Sunday, 25 October 2026, at a major respiratory medicine conference in Jaipur.

Key Developments at the Jaipur Conference

The findings emerged during the 28th Joint Annual National Conference of the National College of Chest Physicians, India (NCCP-I) and the Indian Chest Society (ICS), held in Jaipur from 22 to 25 October. The four-day event drew more than 2,000 pulmonologists, respiratory physicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals from India and abroad — one of the largest gatherings in Indian chest medicine.

What Dr Randeep Guleria Said

Former AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, one of India's most recognised pulmonologists, highlighted AI's growing clinical relevance in respiratory care. He said AI-powered tools have demonstrated the ability to detect suspicious abnormalities on chest X-rays and CT scans, helping doctors make faster and better-informed decisions on investigations and treatment pathways.

'Artificial intelligence has the potential to change how we approach the early detection of respiratory diseases. By helping identify suspicious findings on chest X-rays and CT scans, AI can support doctors in making faster, more informed decisions and directing patients towards timely investigations,' Dr Guleria said.

He further noted: 'For a country like India, where the burden of TB and lung cancer is substantial, this technology could make a meaningful difference when combined with clinical expertise.'

AI in TB Screening and Underserved Regions

Conference experts explained that AI-driven software can analyse chest X-rays and identify patterns associated with tuberculosis, helping healthcare workers prioritise patients for additional testing. Critically, they noted that such technology could prove especially valuable in underserved regions, primary healthcare centres, and mobile screening programmes, where access to specialist radiologists is limited or absent.

Dr Raj Kumar, Director of the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute in Delhi, said AI-assisted chest X-ray screening can significantly improve both the reach and efficiency of TB detection programmes across the country. This comes amid India's ongoing national TB elimination mission, which has set an ambitious target of eradicating the disease by 2025 — a goal where early detection remains a critical bottleneck.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis: The AI Edge

Discussions at the conference also addressed AI's expanding role in lung cancer diagnosis. Experts said advanced algorithms can assist clinicians in reviewing CT scans, identifying suspicious lung nodules, and flagging abnormalities that may require further evaluation — effectively acting as a second layer of scrutiny before specialist review.

Notably, lung cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in India, and late-stage detection remains a major reason for poor outcomes. AI-assisted screening tools, experts argued, could shift the diagnostic window significantly earlier, improving survival rates when combined with existing clinical protocols.

Broader Implications for India's Health System

The consensus at the conference was that AI should be viewed as a complement to — rather than a replacement for — clinical expertise. Experts acknowledged challenges including data quality, infrastructure readiness, and the need for regulatory frameworks before AI tools can be widely deployed in public health settings.

As AI adoption in healthcare accelerates globally, India's high TB and lung cancer burden positions the country as both a major testing ground and a potential beneficiary of this technology's scale advantages. The next steps, experts suggested, lie in structured pilots across district hospitals and primary health centres, with outcomes data feeding into national policy.