By Sugandha Mukherjee
India’s medical tourism market is projected to grow from $18.2 billion in 2025 to $58.2 billion by 2035, according to a report by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and KPMG India.
Titled ‘Heal in India: Catalysing Medical and Wellness Tourism for a Healthier Global Future’, the report was unveiled on Thursday at the Heal in India 2025 Summit here.
Medical tourism
India issued over 460,000 medical visas in 2024 and attracted more than 2 million international patients. Drawn by its cost-effective clinical care and holistic healing options, patients from over 75 countries—including Bangladesh, Iraq, Nigeria, and the US—are choosing India for treatments ranging from complex surgeries to wellness therapies.
“We must not only grow the market but build trust. Our aim should be transformational healing—not just transactional care,” said Suman Billa, additional secretary and director-general, ministry of tourism. He stressed the need to expand high-quality care beyond metros into tier 2 and 3 cities, and projected strong growth for the sector in the coming years.
Someswara Koundinya, director at KPMG India, described the report as a “call to action” to position India as the world’s healing capital. Key recommendations include the creation of regional treatment clusters, improved multilingual hospitality training, infrastructure development in smaller cities, and global outreach campaigns under the ‘Heal in India’ umbrella.
India’s ranking
India currently ranks 10th in the Medical Tourism Index and 7th in global wellness tourism. While it competes with destinations like Thailand, Turkey, and Malaysia, the report highlights India’s distinct advantage in combining modern medical expertise with traditional wellness systems such as ayurveda, yoga, and panchakarma.
With rising healthcare costs and long waiting periods in developed countries, India’s integrated and affordable approach is gaining traction globally, the report notes.