A surgeon in Colombia successfully performed the first remote robotic surgery between Latin America and Asia on a patient located in India, marking a historic milestone in telemedicine and proving that geographical distance is no longer a barrier to specialized surgical care.
The groundbreaking intervention took place at the Colombia’s International Hospital, located in Piedecuesta, municipality of Bucaramanga, capital of the Santander department.
Dr. Víctor Raúl Castillo, president of the Cardiovascular Foundation (FCV, in Spanish) , confirmed via his social media that “a new chapter in the history of robotic surgery was written from Colombia.”
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The procedure was a bariatric telesurgery performed on a 50-year-old patient suffering from morbid obesity, located in the city of Indore, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The operation was led by surgeon Sudhir Srivastava, founder of the Indian company SS Innovations, who controlled the robotic system from Bucaramanga while the patient lay in Indore.
The surgical system used was the SSI Mantra 3, a minimally invasive robotic platform developed entirely by SS Innovations. This system allows the surgeon to control robotic arms located at the patient’s site through a high-resolution 3D screen operated from a remote location. The technology enables a wide range of procedures, including abdominal, cardiac, head and neck surgeries, as well as oncological and urological operations.
According to Dr. Castillo, the procedure established a new world record for telesurgery distance: the signal traveled more than 24,000 kilometers in real time, connecting two continents across the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian subcontinent with minimal latency.
El robot Mantra Tres operó desde el @fcvcolombia en #Piedecuesta a un paciente que estaba en la India. FUERON 25 MIL KILÓMETROS DE DISTANCIA. Gracias a los doctores que se preparan para estos avances. Hoy #Santander hace historia a nivel mundial en la medicina. pic.twitter.com/t60q9Hanow
— Mely Múnera (@MelyMunera) July 29, 2026
Text reads: “The Mantra 3 robot operated from the @fcvcolombia in Piedecuesta to a patient who was in India. It was 25,000 kilometers away. Thanks to the doctors who are preparing for these advances. Today Santander is making world history in medicine.”
Innovation Without Borders
While more than a hundred surgeries have been performed using the SSI Mantra 3 system, this is the first time such an intervention has been carried out between Latin America and Asia, opening new possibilities for international medical cooperation among developing nations.
“More than a technological achievement, this procedure demonstrates that innovation acquires true meaning when it brings the best care closer to patients, no matter where they are,” Dr. Castillo stated. His words capture the transformative potential of telemedicine for regions with limited access to specialized surgical care.
The operation took place during the Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Congress, held as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Cardiovascular Foundation. The congress brought together specialists from multiple countries, providing a platform to showcase how emerging technologies can bridge the healthcare gap between the Global North and the Global South.
The success of this transcontinental surgery highlights the growing role of South-South cooperation in medical technology. India has positioned itself as a leader in affordable robotic surgery systems, while Colombia has invested in building specialized medical infrastructure. Their collaboration demonstrates that innovation in healthcare does not have to follow traditional routes from developed to developing nations.
#Salud l Un equipo de especialistas del Hospital Internacional de Colombia @fcvcolombia y su Instituto Cardiovascular marcó un nuevo hito para la medicina nacional al realizar el primer implante en Colombia de la válvula pulmonar Harmony. pic.twitter.com/pPkqcrYDbx
— RCN Radio Bucaramanga (@RCNBga) July 23, 2026
Text reads: “Health: A team of specialists from the International Hospital of Colombia @fcvcolombia and his Cardiovascular Institute marked a new milestone for national medicine by carrying out the first implantation in Colombia of the pulmonary valve Harmony.”
Industry experts note that remote robotic surgery could dramatically improve access to specialized medical care for patients in rural or underserved areas, reducing the need for costly and disruptive travel to major medical centers. The implications for global health equity are significant, particularly for countries in the Global South where specialist shortages are most acute.
The SS Innovations company has announced plans to expand the use of its Mantra system for further international telesurgeries, with potential applications in emergency trauma care, complex oncology procedures, and training programs for surgeons in remote locations.
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