GROUNDBREAKING! India Conducts First Remote Robotic Surgery On Oman Patient

A 54-year-old woman in Oman with suspected kidney cancer successfully underwent a remote robotic surgery, with the surgeon operating from Mumbai, over 1,500 km away, while the patient remained in Muscat. The complex procedure, conducted on Tuesday, marks a historic first for India in cross-border robotic surgery, redefining the boundaries of modern medicine.

"A team of urologists from our hospital was stationed at Medical City Muscat Hospital, a military hospital, ready to physically intervene if needed, but the remote surgery went off without a hitch," said Dr T B Yuvaraja, director of uro-oncology and robotic surgery from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospitals, Andheri, who performed the surgery from Mumbai.

In December 2025, Dr Yuvaraja had already performed remote surgery by operating on a patient in Mumbai while being stationed in Shanghai, nearly 8,000 km away.

Reflecting on the rapid transformation of medical science, Dr Yuvaraja said, "What we are witnessing is a shift in how healthcare will be delivered globally." He emphasized that real-time, cross-border surgical capabilities could democratize access to world-class expertise, eliminating geographical barriers in critical care.

The collaboration was sparked when the military hospital in Muscat, having recently installed a robotic surgical system, sought a technical partnership. "The company that manufactured the arm brought us together, with our team performing a surgery in Muscat on another patient on Monday. The next day, we decided to do the remote operation from Mumbai," said the doctor.

With an estimated five billion people worldwide lacking access to safe and affordable surgical care, experts believe telerobotic surgery could be a game-changer. The technology is already gaining traction, with hospitals increasingly deploying robotic systems across locations. SS Innovations International, the maker of India’s indigenous SSII Mantra robotic system, recently announced it had completed 100 robotic telesurgeries.

However, this cutting-edge innovation comes at a cost—robotic-assisted procedures can add between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh to surgical expenses. Despite this, doctors argue that the unmatched precision of robotic systems significantly reduces hospital stays and speeds up recovery, making it a compelling option for the future.