Mumbai, December 30, 2025:
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, has scripted a historic first for Indian healthcare by successfully performing the country’s first-ever international cross-border remote robotic surgeries. In a breakthrough moment for telesurgery, two complex urological procedures were conducted on patients in Mumbai by a surgeon operating remotely from Shanghai, over 5,000 kilometres away.
The pioneering surgeries—a robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and a robot-assisted partial nephrectomy—were performed by Dr T. B. Yuvaraja, Director (Group), Uro-Oncology and Robotic Surgery, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. This marks the first clinical cross-border application in India of the Toumai® Remote Robotic Surgery System following approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
A New Era in Indian Telesurgery
The procedures demonstrated exceptional precision, safety, and reliability, despite the vast geographical separation between surgeon and patient. Enabled by high-speed, ultra-stable data transmission, the system achieved an ultra-low bidirectional latency of just 132 milliseconds, ensuring seamless instrument movement and real-time surgical control comparable to on-site robotic surgery.
The Toumai® platform is currently the only robotic surgical system that is US FDA study-approved for telesurgery, underscoring the global significance of this achievement. Throughout the procedures, the system delivered smooth, stable, and highly precise performance, reinforcing confidence in long-distance robotic interventions for complex surgeries.
Expert Leadership and Clinical Excellence
Dr T. B. Yuvaraja, who has performed over 4,100 robotic surgeries, described the milestone as transformational for global healthcare delivery.
“Remote robotic surgery has the potential to revolutionise access to high-quality surgical care. Successfully performing complex procedures across two large nations reinforces our commitment to innovation, safety, and excellence. This achievement opens new avenues for delivering world-class treatment across India and globally,” he said.
Redefining Access to Advanced Care
Hospital leadership hailed the achievement as a proud moment for Indian medicine.
“Being the first hospital in India to successfully perform intercontinental remote robotic surgeries following CDSCO approval of the Toumai system
is a landmark achievement. It reinforces our leadership in cutting-edge medical technology and demonstrates how specialist expertise can be extended across continents without compromising patient outcomes,” a hospital spokesperson said.
The success of these surgeries highlights how technology-driven healthcare can overcome geographical barriers, bringing advanced surgical expertise to patients in remote and underserved regions.
Powered by Collaboration and Technology
The milestone was made possible through close coordination between multidisciplinary clinical teams, full-time specialists at Kokilaben Hospital, technology partners, and engineering teams in both Mumbai and Shanghai. Their combined efforts ensured uninterrupted connectivity, stringent safety protocols, and flawless clinical execution.
Setting a Global Benchmark
With this national first, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital has set a new global benchmark in remote and smart surgery. The successful execution of these procedures not only validates the clinical feasibility and safety of telesurgery but also lays the foundation for the future of cross-border, technology-enabled healthcare.
This breakthrough signals the dawn of a new era—one where distance no longer limits access to world-class surgical care, and India stands at the forefront of global medical innovation.
