The government is drawing up a scheme to promote the country as a hub for medical tourism wherein funding would be given to establish, expand and strengthen hospitals, medical colleges, and healthcare infrastructure projects.
To complement the scheme, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DPIIT) plans to come out with indicative infrastructure planning standards for future-ready hospitals incorporating smart healthcare surgery enablement, Al-assisted diagnostics, digital pathology, telemedicine, and interoperable electronic medical records.
The exercise also involves defining mandatory Clinical Quality Standards and international accreditation requirements as eligibility criteria for hospitals seeking funding support under the scheme.
This follows the FY27 Budget announcement of setting up Regional Medical Hubs for medical value tourism. The government has proposed to support states in establishing five Regional Medical Hubs, in partnership with the private sector. These hubs will function as integrated healthcare complexes, combining medical services, education and research facilities under one umbrella.
“The idea is nascent but the plan is to develop model frameworks for integrated medical districts comprising hospitals, medical colleges, research centres, biotech parks and wellness facilities,” said an official, adding that a consulting firm would be roped in to help draw up the contours of the scheme.
Industry estimates place India’s medical tourism market at about USD 8.7 billion in 2025, with projections of USD 16.2 billion by 2030.
Standardised planning norms and technical benchmarks for teaching hospitals are also proposed under the scheme. Moreover, healthcare infrastructure standards for land utilization, bed density, intensive care capacity, trauma and emergency care, diagnostic infrastructure, modular operation theatres, rehabilitation facilities, outpatient infrastructure and allied healthcare services are likely to be covered under the scheme.
This is crucial as the proposed hubs will house AYUSH centres, medical value tourism facilitation centres, and advanced infrastructure for diagnostics, post-treatment care and rehabilitation.
Besides enhancing patient experience for international and domestic visitors, these hubs are expected to generate diverse employment opportunities for healthcare professionals, including doctors and allied health professionals.
The official added that a comprehensive marketing framework would be developed to position India as a premier medical tourism destination, identifying specific high-yield geographies and recommending digital promotion strategies and international partnership models.
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