India is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s leading destinations for medical value travel (MVT), offering a rare blend of world-class medical infrastructure, skilled healthcare professionals, and affordable treatment. Complementing this modern excellence is India’s unique strength in traditional systems of medicine and holistic wellness.
From complex surgeries to long-term wellness therapies, India presents an integrated healthcare ecosystem that appeals to international patients seeking quality, affordability, and trust. Globally benchmarked hospitals deliver cost-effective treatments under renowned specialists, while traditional Ayush systems add a distinctive preventive and wellness dimension to the nation’s medical tourism appeal.
Emphasising the global significance of medical value travel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address at One Earth One Health – Advantage Healthcare India 2023, stated, “India sees medical value travel and health workforce mobility as important for a healthy planet.” He highlighted India’s holistic view of health— “For thousands of years, India’s outlook towards health has been holistic. We have a great tradition of preventive and promotive health. Systems such as Yoga and meditation have now become global movements—ancient India’s gifts to the modern world. Similarly, Ayurveda is a complete discipline of wellness that addresses both physical and mental health. The world is searching for solutions to stress and lifestyle diseases, and India’s traditional systems hold many answers. Even our traditional diet, rich in millets, contributes to food security and nutrition.”
Reinforcing global confidence and quality assurance,Modi launched the Ayush Quality Mark on 19 December 2025 at Bharat Mandapam during the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. This mark establishes an internationally aligned assurance framework for Ayush products and services, strengthening trust among global seekers of authentic and standardised care.
Highlighting India’s integrated healthcare approach, Prataprao Jadhav, union minister of state (IC), ministry of ayush, noted, “Medical Value Travel is not only about affordability—it’s about trust, quality, and outcomes. India’s Ayush systems offer time-tested, evidence-based solutions that complement conventional medicine and respond to global demand for holistic health and wellness.”
Secretary, ministry of ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, underscored the importance of credibility and standardisation in attracting global patients, “With growing international interest in traditional and wellness-based care, India is strengthening its Medical Value Travel framework through quality assurance, digital facilitation, and adherence to international standards. This integrated approach is positioning India as a reliable global healthcare destination.”
The data reflects this momentum. International patient arrivals in India surged from 1,82,945 in 2020 to 6,44,387 in 2024. Yoga, Ayurveda, and wellness-based therapies have become major drivers of this growth, cementing India’s reputation as a preferred destination for holistic, evidence-based care.
Public–private partnerships have been instrumental in advancing India’s national MVT roadmap. Policies enabling 100% foreign direct investment in medical infrastructure, fiscal incentives for medical service exports, and targeted global outreach have helped create a globally competitive healthcare ecosystem.
Recognizing the rising global demand for natural, preventive, and integrative healthcare, the Ministry of Ayush has placed special emphasis on strengthening Ayush Medical Value Travel. India’s traditional systems—Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy—are increasingly sought by international patients for managing chronic diseases, lifestyle disorders, rehabilitation, and wellness programmes.
To ensure seamless access, the Government of India introduced a dedicated Ayush Visa on 27 July 2023 for foreign nationals and their attendants seeking treatment under Ayush systems of medicine.
Aligned with international standards, the ministry of ayush is enhancing its Medical Value Travel framework through regulatory harmonisation and quality certification. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has adopted ISO 22525—a global benchmark for MVT—to ensure standardised and credible healthcare and wellness services. Insurance coverage is also expanding, with 27 insurers now offering policies that include Ayush treatments, further boosting patient confidence.
Medical value travel has been a central theme at major Ayush platforms, including the Global Synergy in Ayush: Transforming Health and Wellness through Medical Value Travel summits in Mumbai (2024) and Chennai (2025). The ministry has also collaborated with organisations such as ITDC to integrate Ayush-based wellness offerings into India’s broader tourism and healthcare brand.
Capacity building and global outreach continue to strengthen India’s Ayush-led MVT ecosystem. The Health Sector Skill Council (HSSC) established a dedicated Ayush Sub-Council in 2018 to promote skill development and employability. Since 2021, over 37,000 professionals have been certified across Ayush disciplines, enhancing service quality. Global awareness of Ayush has grown through initiatives such as the dedicated film showcased at the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine—reaching participants from over 100 countries—and Ayush initiatives featured at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 under the National Ayush Mission.
With supportive policies, streamlined visas, expanded insurance coverage, and globally recognised quality benchmarks, India’s medical value travel sector is evolving from a story of cost advantage to one of global trust in integrated, holistic, and evidence-based healthcare.
(Processed from a PIB release)
