India’s medical and wellness tourism industry is expected to grow from $18.2 billion in 2025 to $58.2 billion by 2035, according to a new report jointly released 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 at the Heal in India 2025 Summit and calls for a renewed push to position India as a global destination for both advanced and traditional care.
Strong growth driven by global demand, regional advantage
In 2024 alone, India issued over 460,000 medical visas and treated more than two million international patients. Demand is being fuelled by rising healthcare costs in developed countries, long wait times for complex surgeries, and growing awareness of India’s affordability and quality. Countries such as Bangladesh, Iraq, Nigeria, and the US continue to send a growing number of patients seeking procedures ranging from cardiac surgery and organ transplants to ayurvedic detox therapies and yoga retreats.
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India currently ranks 10th on the Medical Tourism Index and 7th globally for wellness tourism. While competitors like Thailand and Turkey have strong reputations, India’s combined clinical and traditional systems—particularly ayurveda, yoga, and panchakarma—offer a distinctive value proposition for global patients.
Report urges decentralisation and branding improvements
The FHRAI–KPMG report recommends that India decentralise care by developing high-quality infrastructure in tier 2 and 3 cities. It also advocates for multilingual training of staff and international branding efforts under the “Heal in India” banner. The report identifies the need for regional treatment clusters to cater to diverse medical needs, while also calling for unified policy support from both healthcare and tourism ministries.
With these efforts, the authors note that India could transform from a cost-effective option into a global centre of trust and excellence in healing. If successfully implemented, the strategy could not only triple the market size but also shift global perceptions of India from being a budget destination to a high-value hub for holistic recovery.
