Report: Medical tourism is growing rapidly in India, incentives are necessary to make the country a medical hub
Report: The medical tourism market in India is growing at a rate of 12.3% every year, leading the country to become a medical hub globally. Foreign patients are coming to India in large numbers due to world-class treatment, cheap cost and skilled doctors. Experts believe that it is possible to make India a global medical hub with government incentives and better policy support.
To make India a global medical hub by 2035, there is a need to offer tax incentives for hospitals that treat international patients and to promote startups in the health sector. A report states that India's medical tourism market is projected to grow from $18.2 billion in 2025 to $58.2 billion by 2035. This market is expanding at a compounded annual rate of 12.3 percent.
The report by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and KPMG recommends launching the 'Heal in India' mission at the national and state levels, supported by a global branding campaign through embassies, exhibitions, and digital platforms.
Federation President K Shyama Raju said, 'Heal in India is not just a health initiative but an opportunity to brand India.' He added, 'We see this as a chance to combine culture with care, reliability with convenience.' India should offer a mix of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract investment and enhance service delivery.
The report also suggests targeted subsidies and grants for startups and organizations involved in health technology, medical research, and digital health solutions that directly support medical tourism. Specifically, it recommends enabling insurance portability by including Indian hospitals in foreign insurance coverage networks, which can be facilitated through international insurers. This could reduce financial barriers for foreign patients.
Additionally, the report emphasizes closing gaps in visa and insurance linkages and strengthening capacity building by training facilitators. Currently, India ranks 10th on the Medical Tourism Index.
