An Indian bariatric surgeon, Dr Mohit Bhandari, successfully conducted a surgery from Perth, Australia, on a patient located in Indore, India, a distance of over 10,000 kilometres. This groundbreaking procedure took place in May 2026 and represents a significant advancement in the field of telesurgery.

The operation involved a robotic gastrojejunostomy, a surgical method that connects the stomach to the jejunum, a section of the small intestine. This type of surgery is commonly performed for weight-loss purposes, showcasing the capabilities of modern robotic systems in managing complex surgical tasks remotely.

Dr Bhandari operated from a console, utilising technology that has been entirely developed in India, specifically the SSI Mantra surgical system and the MantrAsana telesurgeon console. Both devices are products of SS Innovations International, a company recognised for its innovative medical technologies and listed on Nasdaq.

Understanding the Technology Behind the Procedure

The MantrAsana console, which Dr Bhandari employed for the surgery, is designed to be compact yet powerful enough to manage robotic surgeries conducted remotely. Equipped with a high-definition, three-dimensional headset, the console allows the surgeon to view the patient’s insides as though they were present in the same room.

Every command issued by Dr Bhandari was transmitted in real time to the robotic arms operating in Indore. The robotic system mirrored his movements with remarkable precision, achieving an accuracy of 0.1 mm, surpassing the precision typically achievable by human hands. The communication system ensured that the round-trip signal latency was maintained at under 150 milliseconds, akin to the time it takes for a human to blink.

This level of technological advancement not only serves to enhance surgical outcomes but also opens new avenues in the delivery of healthcare services, particularly in remote regions.

Implications for Healthcare Access in Rural India

This innovative surgical technique is particularly significant for patients in rural areas of India, where there is a widely acknowledged shortage of skilled surgeons. The new possibilities offered by telesurgery could radically change the healthcare landscape by enabling expert surgeons in urban centres to provide care remotely.

For instance, a surgeon based in a metropolitan city like Delhi or Mumbai may potentially treat critically ill patients located in rural villages without necessitating travel for either party. This capability could greatly alleviate the challenges faced by patients in remote areas who struggle to access specialised medical care.

Dr Sudhir Srivastava, the founder of SS Innovations International, described the successful operation as a pivotal milestone in the journey toward making robotic surgery more accessible. By bridging geographical barriers, the aim is to ensure that high-quality surgical care becomes available to a broader population, irrespective of their location.

The introduction of telesurgery represents a transformative shift in surgical practice, promising to democratise access to advanced medical procedures and improve health outcomes for underserved communities across vast regions of India.

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