Nel Delhi – India’s government is projecting the country’s medical tourism market to nearly double from an estimated USD 8.7 billion in 2025 to USD 16.2 billion by 2030, as the country cements its position as one of the world’s leading destinations for Medical Value Travel.
The growth mirrors a broader global trend. The worldwide Medical Value Travel market, valued at USD 115.6 billion in 2022, is expected to reach USD 286.1 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of around 10.8 per cent.
“Across the world, rising healthcare costs, long waiting times, and the growing burden of lifestyle diseases are driving patients to seek treatment abroad,” the government said in an official statement. 
India’s appeal in the sector is being driven by affordable treatment, expanding healthcare infrastructure, internationally accredited hospitals, skilled medical professionals and the integration of traditional wellness systems such as Ayurveda and Yoga under the AYUSH framework.
The country’s Medical Value Travel ecosystem rests on two pillars. The first is medical tourism focused on complex surgeries, organ transplants and advanced diagnostic care. The second is wellness tourism centred on preventive and holistic wellbeing through traditional systems including Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy. “These two pillars address both advanced clinical treatment needs and the rising global demand for preventive healthcare,” the government said.
In 2025, India recorded 9.15 million foreign tourist arrivals, with 507,244 visitors travelling specifically for medical treatment, accounting for about 5.5 per cent of total inbound tourism. Bangladesh led as the top source market with 325,127 medical arrivals, followed by Iraq with 30,989, Uzbekistan with 13,699, Somalia with 11,506, Turkmenistan with 10,231, Oman with 9,738 and Kenya with 9,357.
Patients travel to India primarily for cardiac surgery, orthopaedic procedures, cancer treatment, organ transplants, neurological interventions, cosmetic surgery, dental care, fertility treatment and AYUSH-based wellness therapies.
India’s healthcare system is backed by 69,364 hospitals, comprising 43,486 private and 25,778 public facilities, along with 1.2 million registered doctors, meeting the World Health Organisation’s recommended doctor to population ratio. As of 2026, the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers has accredited over 1,299 hospitals using more than 600 safety parameters.
On the rankings front, India sits 10th among 46 medical tourism destinations globally, 12th among the world’s top 20 wellness tourism markets and 5th among the top 10 wellness destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Medical Tourism Index 2020 to 2021.
Under the Union Budget 2026 to 2027, the government has announced plans to establish five Regional Medical Hubs across the country in partnership with state governments and the private sector. Each hub will include AYUSH Centres, dedicated Medical Value Travel facilitation units, advanced diagnostics, post-treatment care and rehabilitation infrastructure, and is expected to generate employment for doctors and allied health professionals.
The government has also proposed the establishment of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda and is upgrading the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar to strengthen evidence-based research and global collaboration in traditional medicine.
To ease access for international patients, India has extended its e-Medical Visa and e-Medical Attendant Visa facilities to nationals of 172 countries, and introduced dedicated e-AYUSH Visa and e-AYUSH Attendant Visa categories for those seeking traditional Indian treatments. A revamped Medical Value Travel portal is also being developed to allow patients to explore, plan, book and pay for services in one place, while Medical Value Travel concierge lounges are planned at major airports.
