Medical and Wellness Tourism in India

Syllabus: GS2/ Health, GS3/ Economy

Context

• India is steadily emerging as a major global destination for medical tourism, with the country’s medical value travel (MVT) market projected to grow from an estimated $8.7 billion in 2025 to nearly $16.2 billion by 2030.

What is Medical Tourism? 

• Medical tourism refers to the practice of traveling to another country or region for medical treatment, procedures, or health-related services. 
• It involves both curative care (surgeries, specialised treatments) and, in some cases, preventive or diagnostic services.
• Reasons:
  • Individuals seek medical care in countries where the quality of treatment is high, but the costs are significantly lower than in their home country. 
  • Travel for specialized treatments not available locally or for services that have long wait times.

Key Trends in Medical Value Travel

• The global Medical Value Travel market was valued at about USD 115.6 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach around USD 286.1 billion by 2030.
  • The market is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 10.8%.
• According to the Medical Tourism Index 2020–21, India ranks:
  • 10th among the top 46 medical tourism destinations globally
  • 12th among the world’s top 20 wellness tourism markets
  • 5th among the top 10 wellness destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.
• As per the Ministry of Tourism estimates, 507,244 foreign nationals visited India in 2025 specifically for medical treatment.
  • It shows that medical tourism constitutes approximately 5.5% of total Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs).

• Leading Markets: Bangladesh followed by Iraq, Uzbekistan, Somalia, Turkmenistan, Oman, and Kenya.
• Popular destinations for medical tourism in India include cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad.
• Patients primarily travel to India for specialised treatments such as: Cardiac surgery, Orthopaedic procedures, Cancer treatment, Organ transplants, AYUSH-based wellness therapies etc.

Factors Responsible for the Growth of Medical Tourism in India

• Cost-Effective Treatment: India offers medical procedures at a fraction of the cost compared to countries like the US or Europe.
• High-Quality Healthcare: India has a well-established healthcare infrastructure with internationally accredited hospitals and skilled medical professionals.

• India has 69,364 hospitals (43,486 private hospitals, and 25,778 public hospitals) with 1.2 million registered doctors.
• Availability of Advanced Medical Technology: Indian hospitals are equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology and cutting-edge treatments, particularly in fields like cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics.
• Shorter Wait Times: Medical tourists can access timely treatment, often avoiding long wait times common in some Western healthcare systems.
• Government Support  and Policies: The Indian government has implemented policies that encourage medical tourism, including medical visa facilitation and promoting the sector internationally.
• Strengthening AYUSH-led Medical Value Travel: India possesses a unique advantage in wellness tourism through its centuries-old traditional systems of medicine collectively known as AYUSH — Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.

Government Initiatives to Strengthen Medical Tourism

• National Medical & Wellness Tourism Promotion Board (NMWTB): Constituted by the Ministry of Tourism in 2015, chaired by the Union Minister for Tourism. It promotes and facilitates medical and wellness tourism in India.
• Strengthening AYUSH Ecosystem: 
  • The establishment of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda has been proposed to enhance education, research, and clinical services in Ayurveda.
  • Upgradation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar for evidence-based research and global collaboration.
• Visa Reforms: 
  • e-Medical Visa and e-Medical Attendant Visa extended to 172 countries.
  • Introduction of e-AYUSH Visa for traditional treatment seekers.
• Digital Support: Revamped Medical Value Travel Portal offering end-to-end services (planning, booking, payments, follow-up care).
• Heal in India Initiative: The initiative aims to position India as a global hub for integrated healthcare services. It has two key pillar:
  • Medical Tourism: Focuses on curative services such as surgeries and advanced treatment.
  • Wellness Tourism: Focuses on preventive healthcare and holistic healing through traditional systems.

Challenges in Medical Tourism in India

• Strong competition from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
• Most of the medical care is not covered by insurance and it makes medical value travel (MVT) less attractive.
• The MVT facilitators are not well organized and accredited. Many unprofessional agents exploit the medical value traveller.
• Lack of Regulations: There are no comprehensive regulations to govern the MVT sector, which leaves the sector unorganised and lacks monitoring of the quality of services.
• Promotion of MVT: Individual Hospitals are carrying out their publicity but there is no effective campaign to establish India as a brand for medical value travel. 

Way Ahead

• Medical and wellness tourism represents a high-potential sector linking healthcare, economy, and soft power.
• With strategic policy support, quality assurance, and global branding, India can emerge as a leading hub for affordable, holistic, and world-class healthcare services.

Source: PIB