Siemens Healthineers to expand R&D workforce in India, aiming for 700-900 new hires in FY25

Kalavathi G.V., Executive Director and Head of the Global Development Center at Siemens Healthineers, a medtech company focused on precision medicine, told businessline that the Indian center plans to expand its workforce by adding approximately 700 to 900 new employees in FY25. The center currently employs around 3,500 people.

Can you provide insights into the R&D setup in India for Siemens Healthineers, and its significance to the global R&D?

India has been a key location for Siemens Healthineers’ R&D for over 30 years. Our R&D arm, known as the Development Center, is part of our Technology Excellence framework. This center is instrumental in driving innovation, with a major focus on software development, diagnostics imaging, ultrasound, and digital automation. More than 50 per cent of our software engineers are based in India, making it a crucial hub for our global R&D efforts. Our R&D in India spans across various healthcare technologies, including diagnostic imaging (CT, MR), ultrasound, diagnostics, post-processing applications, console applications, and digital automation.

How does India contribute to global product development for Siemens Healthineers?

India plays a key role in transforming digital models into real-world products. Through collaboration with other parts of Healthineers, we bring cutting-edge technologies into product development, particularly in software excellence and digital innovation. This has helped to bridge the gap between technology design and practical application on a global scale.

Many startups are already working in the field of AI and healthcare innovation. Is collaboration with startups a part of your strategy? If yes, how do you approach such partnerships?

India is becoming a very lucrative base for startups, and collaboration is key. We are actively working with startups like Qure.ai and others to explore partnerships. This partnership is part of our broader focus on adopting AI and ML programs to boost efficiency in diagnostics.  Going forward, this is going to be something that we are going to strengthen.

Can you share insights into the kind of investments being made in the R&D hub in India?

Healthcare organizations typically allocate between 8–12 per cent of their overall budget to research and development (R&D). Nearly 9 per cent of our global revenue was used for R&D 2023, and 2024. In 2024, our global R&D spending amounted to €1,918 million, slightly up from €1,866 million in 2023. Additionally, €151 million of the 2024 R&D budget was categorised as capitalised development expenses—investments intended for future growth. A portion of this R&D allocation is directed toward our Development Center in India, highlighting the country’s increasing importance in our global R&D strategy.

With the shortage of physicians both globally and in India, despite being a hub for medical education, how do you see AI playing a role in addressing this challenge?

There has been a significant shortage of healthcare workers, including doctors, across many countries, including India. One of the key challenges has been the increasing demand for healthcare services, which cannot be met due to the limited number of hands available. AI, however, has the potential to enhance this situation significantly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for digital solutions became clear, as physical consultations became impossible in many cases. This led to greater acceptance of AI tools in healthcare. By collaborating with various institutions and leveraging regional data, AI models can be tailored to specific healthcare needs. This helps doctors by giving them data-driven insights that improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment plans.

Could you talk about the collaborations and partnerships you currently have, both internationally and within India?

Internationally, Siemens Healthineers collaborates with University of Michigan in the US, University of California San Francisco, among others These collaborations focus on co-creating innovations, particularly in AI-driven healthcare solutions.

In India, given the country’s fast-growing and significant healthcare market, Siemens Healthineers has formed partnerships with a wide range of leading hospitals and research institutions. These include Narayana Health, and Healthcare Global (HCG), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences (NIMHANS) among others.

Published on January 22, 2025

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