2025-09-04

SS Innovations International is transforming the Indian surgical landscape by making advanced robotic surgery accessible to all, rather than a privileged few. At the heart of this revolution is the SSI Mantra — India’s first indigenously developed, multi-arm surgical robotic system. In this exclusive interview, Dr. Vishwa Pascual Srivastava, MD and CEO – APAC, SS Innovations International, discusses the company’s vision, its global expansion roadmap, and the future of surgical robotics.  

Q. What was the driving force behind the creation of SS Innovations International, and what is the core vision guiding the company’s mission?

At SS Innovations International, we were driven by a simple yet profound belief that world-class surgical technology should not be a privilege limited to a few, but a fundamental right accessible to all. The inspiration to establish the company stemmed from the glaring gap in access to advanced surgical care across India and many other parts of the world, particularly in underserved regions.

Our vision was to develop a cost-effective, high-quality, and indigenously designed robotic surgical system that could revolutionise the way surgery is delivered, not just in metropolitan hospitals but also in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where access to cutting-edge healthcare is often limited. With this mission in mind, we launched SS Innovations International with a commitment to democratize surgical excellence, reduce dependency on expensive imported technologies, and place India at the forefront of global surgical innovation.

Q. Robotic surgery has traditionally been expensive and limited to high-end hospitals in India. How is SS Innovations International working to change this landscape and improve accessibility?

At SS Innovations International, our core mission is to democratize access to advanced surgical care by overcoming the economic and infrastructural limitations that have historically confined robotic surgery to elite, urban hospitals. The SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System has been developed with three core pillars - advanced, affordability, and accessibility.

Unlike imported systems burdened with high capital and recurring maintenance costs, the SSI Mantra significantly reduces the total cost of ownership. This makes robotic surgery a viable option for a wider range of healthcare institutions, including government-run and smaller private hospitals in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

To further accelerate adoption, we’ve established a robust clinical and training ecosystem that includes advanced simulation, hands-on mentorship, and remote proctoring. This ensures that surgeons across India and other developing regions are equipped to safely and confidently perform robotic procedures.

By combining cost efficiency with training support and versatile deployment, SS Innovations International is actively reshaping the surgical landscape, making world-class robotic surgery accessible to all, not just a privileged few.

Q. From a design and performance standpoint, what differentiates the SSI Mantra surgical robotic system from other platforms currently available in the Indian and global markets?

The SSI Mantra is a landmark innovation, India’s only indigenously developed, multi-arm surgical robotic system. It was designed with deep clinical insights to address the complex demands of a wide range of surgical specialties, including urology, gynaecology, general surgery, thoracic surgery, and cardiac surgery.

What truly sets the SSI Mantra apart is its open-console design, which enhances surgeon comfort and facilitates better coordination with the surgical team. Its use of fully reusable instruments substantially lowers recurring procedural costs, making robotic surgery more economically viable. Additionally, the system is equipped with advanced telesurgery and teleproctoring capabilities, uniquely positioning it to support remote surgery applications—particularly in underserved regions where access to expert surgeons is limited.

In essence, SSI Mantra is not just a robotic surgical platform; it is a future-ready surgical ecosystem that bridges clinical, economic, and infrastructural gaps, empowering hospitals across diverse geographies to deliver world-class care.

Q. What are the biggest challenges in encouraging the adoption of robotic surgery among hospitals and surgeons in India?

The adoption of robotic surgery in India initially faced several challenges, ranging from limited awareness and a lack of structured training to the widespread perception of high capital investment. For many surgeons, robotic systems were unfamiliar territory, and the steep learning curve further slowed integration into clinical practice. Hospital administrators were equally cautious, often hesitant to invest in what was considered a niche, high-cost technology.

Robotic surgery was first introduced in India in the early 2000s, but growth remained modest for nearly two decades. By 2019, only around 250 robotic systems had been installed across the country, primarily in a few premium urban hospitals. However, the landscape has begun to shift significantly in recent years. With growing awareness of the clinical precision and improved patient outcomes associated with robotic procedures, and the emergence of cost-effective, indigenously developed platforms like the SSI Mantra, adoption is accelerating rapidly. Since then, over 100 SSI Mantra systems have been installed across India and abroad, a testament to the growing confidence in accessible robotic technology.

Today, the SSI Mantra system is operational in cities such as Nagpur, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Kanor, Asansol, Coimbatore, and Hisar, marking a clear movement toward democratizing access to advanced surgical care, not just in metro cities but across tier-2 and tier-3 regions as well.

To sustain this momentum, there remains a continued need for expanded access to hands-on training, structured clinical mentorship, and greater awareness of the long-term clinical and operational benefits robotic surgery can deliver. Supportive institutional policies and government-backed initiatives will further catalyze this growth. At SS Innovations International, we are actively addressing these needs, ensuring that robotic surgery evolves from a premium offering to an integral, sustainable pillar of mainstream healthcare delivery across India.

Q. Where are your products currently commercialised, and what has the market response been like so far?

The SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System, developed by SS Innovations International, is now commercially deployed across a growing number of prestigious hospitals in India, spanning both public sector institutions and private multispecialty centers. Internationally, SS Innovations International has successfully installed over 100 SSI Mantra systems, with deployments in countries including Nepal, Ecuador, Guatemala, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine; underscoring the company’s commitment to making world-class, cost-effective robotic surgery accessible across diverse healthcare landscapes.

The market response has been positive. Surgeons have lauded the system’s precision, ergonomic design, and seamless integration into existing clinical workflows. Hospital administrators appreciate its ability to deliver cutting-edge care without the prohibitive costs typically associated with robotic systems. Most importantly, patients in underserved regions now have access to advanced surgical interventions that were previously out of reach. This growing adoption confirms that the SSI Mantra is not merely a product; it is a catalyst driving a broader shift toward equitable, future-ready surgical care.

With over 5,000 successful surgical procedures performed, including more than 240 complex cardiac surgeries and 31 pioneering telesurgeries, the SSI Mantra continues to demonstrate its clinical versatility and transformative impact. In a momentous leap forward for global medical collaboration, SS Innovations International achieved a historic milestone at the Annual Conference of the Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) in Strasbourg, France, by successfully performing two complex intercontinental robotic telesurgeries using the indigenously developed SSI Mantra system. This landmark event marks a defining moment in surgical innovation, proving that distance is no longer a barrier to delivering expert surgical care across continents.

Q. Could you elaborate on your plans to expand the global presence of your cost-effective surgical robotic solutions?

SS Innovations International is actively pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to scale our global footprint. Our focus is on regions where access to advanced surgical care remains limited due to the high cost and logistical complexity of existing robotic systems. Countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East represent significant opportunities, due to rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystems that are open to innovation.

We are building robust international distribution networks, forging strategic alliances with regional medical institutions, and engaging early with regulatory bodies to streamline market entry. Our goal is to create high-impact, localised solutions with global scalability, ensuring that the SSI Mantra becomes the platform of choice for both developed and emerging healthcare systems.

Q. Regulatory frameworks vary significantly across countries. How is SS Innovations International navigating these differences to ensure smoother global deployment?

Navigating the complex and varied regulatory landscape is both a challenge and a priority for SS Innovations International. Our approach begins with proactive engagement with country-specific regulatory authorities to understand their unique requirements and ensure full compliance from the outset.

We have built a dedicated regulatory affairs team that works closely with consultants and compliance experts in each target region. This allows us to adapt our documentation, clinical validation processes, and certifications as per local standards—whether it’s FDA, CE, CDSCO, or other region-specific frameworks.

We also believe in transparency and strong clinical evidence as the cornerstone of regulatory acceptance. By sharing robust trial data, real-world success stories, and safety benchmarks, we aim to build trust with regulators while accelerating the approval process.

Q. Are there any notable collaborations, whether with hospitals, academic institutions, or governments, that are driving innovation and expansion at SS Innovations International?

Yes, collaborations are at the heart of the innovation and expansion strategy at SS Innovations International. We are actively working with some of the most respected hospitals, academic institutions, and government bodies in India and abroad to advance the frontiers of robotic surgery.

In India, we’ve partnered with premier institutions such as Government Medical College (GMC), Nagpur, where we enabled the country’s first-ever robotic telesurgery in a public sector hospital, a historic step toward democratising advanced surgical care. Other notable collaborations include AIIMS Delhi, Fortis Hospital, and the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCI) in New Delhi, where the SSI Mantra is actively supporting high-precision clinical procedures.

The SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System is also installed at several other leading healthcare institutions across the country, including Manipal Hospitals (across multiple locations), Manipal Hospital in Baner, Pune, Hindustan Hospital in Coimbatore, Noble Hospital in Pune, Sanjeevani CBCC USA Cancer Hospital in Raipur, Continental Hospital in Hyderabad, and Mohak Robotics and Bariatrics in Indore one of the largest centres for bariatric surgery in Asia. These deployments highlight not only the system’s clinical versatility but also the growing confidence in its adoption across both private and public healthcare sectors.

Internationally, we have expanded to seven countries, with installations in Nepal, Ecuador, Guatemala, the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine. Notably, SSI Mantra is the first surgical robotic system to be deployed in Nepal and Indonesia, marking historic milestones in those nations’ healthcare evolution.

Through these strategic collaborations, SS Innovations International is not just scaling its global footprint; it is shaping the future of affordable, accessible, and high-performance robotic surgery for healthcare systems around the world.

Q. Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of surgical robotics over the next five to ten years, and how do you see SS Innovations International contributing to that future?

 The next decade will be transformative for surgical robotics. We envision a future where robotic surgery becomes standard care, not a premium offering. This future will be defined by greater accessibility, smarter systems, enhanced surgeon autonomy, and global interoperability. AI, real-time data analytics, and remote connectivity will play major roles in shaping this evolution.

SS Innovations International is committed to leading this change by focusing on affordability without compromising performance, and by integrating cutting-edge features like telesurgery, reusable instrumentation, and open-console ergonomics into our platforms.

We also see ourselves as a thought leader in shaping the global surgical ecosystem, not just as a technology provider but as a catalyst for equitable care. Our focus remains unwavering—bridging the gap between innovation and accessibility, one hospital, one surgeon, and one patient at a time.

Q. Finally, what message would you like to share with young innovators, healthcare leaders, and patients about the future of accessible surgical care through robotics?

The future of surgical care lies in innovation that is both compassionate and inclusive. To young innovators, I encourage you to embrace real-world problems with empathy and persistence, some of the most transformative breakthroughs are born not from abundance, but from necessity. India itself stands as a powerful example of how meaningful innovation can emerge from constraints.

To healthcare leaders, I urge you to see robotic surgery not as a luxury, but as a scalable and sustainable solution capable of transforming care across geographies and income levels. And to patients, I want to affirm that advanced surgical care should never be dictated by your location or socioeconomic status.