Why India Is Becoming the Global Hub for Medical Tourism in 2025

A Growing Global Market

The first thing that’s important is to recognize the sheer scale of opportunity. A report published by KPMG India and Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) anticipates India’s medical tourism market will move from about US $18.2 billion in 2025 to US $58.2 billion by 2035 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 12.3%. 

This growth was driven by rising global demand for quality healthcare, growing costs in developed countries, and a growing mobility of patients across borders.

India is already and attracting millions of foreign patients. In fact, Indian authorities issued 463,725 medical visas in 2024. 

So, there is a large and growing market. The question becomes, why is India uniquely positioned to take advantage of it?

Key Drivers Behind India’s Rise

Cost-Effective Treatment

One of the primary motivations for medical tourists to travel to India is the lower costs. Even complicated surgery, including heart bypass, orthopedic replacements, and cosmetic surgical procedures, are 60% to 90% less expensive in India than in the West. Even if prices are low, the quality of care is as good, if not better, than the best anywhere in the world.

World-Class Medical Facilities

India is home to hospitals accredited by NABH and JCI that meet stringent standards of international healthcare. E-respected hospitals such as Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, Max Healthcare, Medanta, and AIIMS are all hospitals and facilities with the most up-to-date medical technology, robotic surgery systems, and clinical equipment. 

Highly Qualified Doctors and Specialists

India has a large pool of well-trained doctors who speak English and are trained internationally. Many of these specialists have studied or worked in the US, United Kingdom, or Europe and belong to various prestigious organizations. Areas of specialty such as cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, neurology, fertility treatment, and aesthetic surgery are strong areas of depth. 

No Waiting Lists

Unlike other countries, where patients may wait months to have surgical procedures, in India, patients can have treatment or surgery right away or have a very short wait time for treatment. Hospitals are experienced and able to facilitate international patients through fast-tracked consultations and aid in providing seamless pre-operative and post-operative care.

Holistic Healing and Wellness Tourism 

India exemplifies more than just modern medicine. As the home of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy and other holistic therapies which promote physical and mental wellbeing in a holistic sense, India is an ideal locale for patients to combine their surgery with a wellness retreat in Kerala, Rishikesh, or Goa to recover naturally in a peaceful environment. 

Personalised Medical Tourism Packages

Medical tourism in India includes more than just treatment; it can involve packages that include treatment, hospitalisation, accommodations, airport pickup, language translators, and sightseeing as needed, keeping every part of the experience pleasant and low-stress for foreign patients.  

Government Support and Medical Visas 

The Indian government has streamlined their medical visa so that patients and attendants can stay in India for up to 6 months with extensions granted freely. Further, the Indian government's  "Heal in India" is also an initiative to promote Indian medical tourism as a destination to patients around the world for global health, healing, and wellness.

What Makes India Stand Out

Bringing the above drivers together, below are the competitive advantages India has:

Scale and diversity: With a population of around 1.4 billion, specialties, many private hospitals, and various cities developing health tourism ecosystems, India can service a large patient base and multiple specialty niches.

Geographical proximity & regional reach: For countries in South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, India is relatively near, culturally suitable, and often easier to obtain a visa to than many comparable locations in the West.

Language & cultural familiarity: English is widely spoken in private hospitals, medical centres, and patient accommodations where many hospitals and departments cater to international patients with varying degrees of staff who speak English. This reduces the “foreign country anxiety.”

Comprehensive ecosystem: The integrated medical holiday which incorporates wellness + tourism gives patients freedom to combine their medical treatment, recovery time, get additional care from a companion, and sightseeing in one package.

Cost vs value sweet spot: India balances cost savings with credible quality of care. Other lower-cost countries have a perception issue if consumers choose them over less credible quality health institutions. India has established its brand value through quality and experience to attract international patients.

Growth momentum: The continual growth of the unobstructed international patient track, gradually increasing market size, and continuously improving infrastructure, increases hospital competition internationally; hospitals are investing in the global patient division.

Top Medical Services and Treatments in India for Tourists

With numerous specialised hospitals offering individualised care for patients from other countries, India provides a broad spectrum of medical services. The most popular therapies are as follows:

Heart Surgery

India is well known throughout the world for its successful and reasonably priced cardiac procedures, such as angioplasty, valve replacement, bypass surgery, and paediatric cardiac care.

Surgery of the Orthopaedics

Indian hospitals provide high-tech treatments, such as robotic-assisted procedures, with reduced recovery times for anything from spine surgery to knee and hip replacements.

Treatment for Cancer

Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, bone marrow transplants, and immunotherapy are among the cutting-edge oncology therapies offered by Indian cancer centres at a fraction of Western prices.

Fertility Treatments (IVF/ICSI) 

High success rates and a low cost for IVF packages have made India a sought-after location for infertility treatment, particularly for couples coming from the US, the UK, and Africa. 

Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery 

From rhinoplasty, liposuction, and hair transplants, to breast enhancement, India is a popular location for aesthetic surgeries performed by qualified plastic surgeons. 

Neurology and Neurosurgery 

India is making fast inroads into brain and spine surgeries, with some leading hospitals conducting complex procedures like deep brain stimulation, removal of tumors, or surgical intervention related to epilepsy. 

Organ Transplants 

India offers kidney, liver, and cornea transplants with an honorably clear donor registry, and advanced facilities, and success rates are very high. 

Ayurveda and Wellness Programs 

Post-operative recovery or management of chronic conditions usually influences many tourists to seek Ayurvedic Detox, Panchakarma, and Yoga retreats - mostly in Kerala and Uttarakhand.

Best Cities for Medical Tourism in India

Delhi NCR is a premier location for all medical need. comprises prominent hospitals including AIIMS, Medanta, Max Healthcare, Metro Hospital, and Amrita Hospital (Faridabad) in Delhi, Noida, and Greater Noida.

Mumbai: Home to prestigious hospitals like Lilavati and Kokilaben, this city is well-known for its orthopaedic, cardiac, and cosmetic surgical services.

Chennai is known as India's "health capital" and is well-known for its affordable organ transplants and operations.

Bangalore: A hub for robotic surgery, neurology, and fertility care.

Hyderabad: Organ transplant and cancer care services are expanding quickly.

Kerala is well-known for natural remedies, Ayurveda, and wellness retreats.

What to Expect by 2030 and Beyond

If current conditions hold, the following are forward-looking trends that might emerge in India's medical tourism ecosystem:

The number of international patients to India could increase by double or more in the next 5 years—with emerging demand based on both price and volume of specialty procedures.

India may increasingly begin to see patients from developed countries (Europe, North America) wanting elective/out-of-pocket procedures rather than being restricted to regional patients.

The wellness or holistic healing segments of the market (Ayurveda, Yoga, post-operative reboot) could increase significantly—moving India from a destination to "fix" illness to a destination to "optimise" health.

Remote digital health (remote monitoring, tele-follow up, AI-supported diagnostics) will enable Indian hospitals to retain patients virtually after travel- expanding value for them.

There could be more hospital chains and international partnerships. India-based hospitals may partner or collaborate with overseas insurers and medical facilitators to set up satellite units outside of India.

However, competition from other destinations will escalate; thus India will need to maintain / improve service levels, branding, logistically easy, regulatory governance.

To Conclude…

In conclusion, the rise of India as a global hub for medical tourism in 2025 is the result of a coming together of several favourable conditions: a strong cost‑value equation, world‑class human resources and infrastructure, regulatory and policy support, the adoption of digital health, and the intertwining of wellness/holistic healing.

For patients around the globe, India offers an increasingly compelling proposition. For healthcare providers in India, a chance to grow the domestic market, as well as incremental inbound international patients, creates two opportunities. For policy‑makers, medical tourism is a component of economic, health‑employment, and branding objectives.

Of course, maintaining this momentum will require continued vigilance in quality, patient experience, regulatory robustness, and global marketing. Clearly, the momentum is strong. If India keeps executing, by 2030, it could rival or exceed many of today’s established medical‑tourism destinations.