Key Highlights
- Size today: The Ayush services sector contributed an estimated $36.92 billion to India's economy in FY25.
- Future potential: It could grow to $216–318 billion by 2047, according to an RIS study.
- Fast growth: The sector has grown at a 16.91% compound annual rate since FY23.
- Where the money is: Clinics and day-care centres account for over 71% of revenue, and Ayurveda alone for nearly 48%.
- Women lead: Women make up 43% of the workforce, and over 60% in wellness settings.
India has put a number on its Ayush services economy for the first time. According to a study by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), released during the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations in Nagpur, the sector contributed an estimated $36.92 billion to the economy in FY25.
Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said the contribution was measured through a nationally scaled, establishment-level survey covering all major Ayush systems, and that the report provides an evidence base for future investment, policy and reforms.
Key Numbers
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Sector size (FY25) | $36.92 billion |
| Growth rate since FY23 (CAGR) | 16.91% |
| Livelihoods supported | ~1.76 million |
| Medical Value Travel revenue | $1.77 billion |
| Projected size by 2047 | $216–318 billion |
Clinics Are the Core
Clinics and day-care centres together account for more than 71% of the sector's revenue. Standalone clinics generated about $16.21 billion and day-care centres about $10.13 billion.
Among the individual systems, Ayurveda is by far the largest, bringing in $17.73 billion, or nearly 48% of total revenue.
Women at the Heart of the Workforce
Women make up 43% of the overall Ayush services workforce, and more than half in several organised segments:
- Wellness settings offering Ayush services: over 60%
- Educational institutions: 58%
- Day-care centres: 57%
- Hospitals: 53%
Few Foreign Patients, Big Revenue Share
International patients account for only about 5% of patient volumes, but contribute an estimated 15–25% of hospital-segment revenue. In other words, each foreign patient brings in several times more revenue than a domestic one on average, making medical value travel an important growth area.
Why It Matters: A Services Story, Not Just Medicines
The study focuses on Ayush services, such as clinics, day-care centres, hospitals, wellness centres and education, rather than the manufacture and sale of Ayush products. That makes it a measure of the jobs and consultations the sector generates, not just the medicines it sells.
The 2047 projection also tells an interesting story. Growing from $36.92 billion to $216–318 billion over about 22 years would require average annual growth of roughly 8–10%. That is well below the sector's current pace of nearly 17%, suggesting the projection is fairly conservative. If recent momentum even partly continues, the upper end of the range is within reach.
What the Leaders Said
"The findings of this landmark study affirm that Ayush is not merely a cultural inheritance but a dynamic and high-growth engine of India's economy," said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush.
RIS Director General Professor Sachin Kumar Sharma said, "The findings showed that an economy of $36.92 billion, growing at close to 17 per cent annually, is no longer a peripheral sector but a dynamic, knowledge-based service economy."
The Bottom Line
For the first time, India has hard numbers on its Ayush services economy, and they show a sector that is larger, faster-growing and more women-led than many might expect. The challenge now will be turning that growth into quality, trusted care at home and a stronger global draw for medical travellers.
With inputs from IANS.
Key Highlights
- Size today: The Ayush services sector contributed an estimated $36.92 billion to India's economy in FY25.
- Future potential: It could grow to $216–318 billion by 2047, according to an RIS study.
- Fast growth: The sector has grown at a 16.91% compound annual rate since FY23.
- Where the money is: Clinics and day-care centres account for over 71% of revenue, and Ayurveda alone for nearly 48%.
- Women lead: Women make up 43% of the workforce, and over 60% in wellness settings.
India has put a number on its Ayush services economy for the first time. According to a study by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), released during the 11th Ayurveda Day celebrations in Nagpur, the sector contributed an estimated $36.92 billion to the economy in FY25.
Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said the contribution was measured through a nationally scaled, establishment-level survey covering all major Ayush systems, and that the report provides an evidence base for future investment, policy and reforms.
Key Numbers
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Sector size (FY25) | $36.92 billion |
| Growth rate since FY23 (CAGR) | 16.91% |
| Livelihoods supported | ~1.76 million |
| Medical Value Travel revenue | $1.77 billion |
| Projected size by 2047 | $216–318 billion |
Clinics Are the Core
Clinics and day-care centres together account for more than 71% of the sector's revenue. Standalone clinics generated about $16.21 billion and day-care centres about $10.13 billion.
Among the individual systems, Ayurveda is by far the largest, bringing in $17.73 billion, or nearly 48% of total revenue.
Women at the Heart of the Workforce
Women make up 43% of the overall Ayush services workforce, and more than half in several organised segments:
- Wellness settings offering Ayush services: over 60%
- Educational institutions: 58%
- Day-care centres: 57%
- Hospitals: 53%
Few Foreign Patients, Big Revenue Share
International patients account for only about 5% of patient volumes, but contribute an estimated 15–25% of hospital-segment revenue. In other words, each foreign patient brings in several times more revenue than a domestic one on average, making medical value travel an important growth area.
Why It Matters: A Services Story, Not Just Medicines
The study focuses on Ayush services, such as clinics, day-care centres, hospitals, wellness centres and education, rather than the manufacture and sale of Ayush products. That makes it a measure of the jobs and consultations the sector generates, not just the medicines it sells.
The 2047 projection also tells an interesting story. Growing from $36.92 billion to $216–318 billion over about 22 years would require average annual growth of roughly 8–10%. That is well below the sector's current pace of nearly 17%, suggesting the projection is fairly conservative. If recent momentum even partly continues, the upper end of the range is within reach.
What the Leaders Said
"The findings of this landmark study affirm that Ayush is not merely a cultural inheritance but a dynamic and high-growth engine of India's economy," said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush.
RIS Director General Professor Sachin Kumar Sharma said, "The findings showed that an economy of $36.92 billion, growing at close to 17 per cent annually, is no longer a peripheral sector but a dynamic, knowledge-based service economy."
The Bottom Line
For the first time, India has hard numbers on its Ayush services economy, and they show a sector that is larger, faster-growing and more women-led than many might expect. The challenge now will be turning that growth into quality, trusted care at home and a stronger global draw for medical travellers.
With inputs from IANS.