Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2026 on Sunday, announced the establishment of five regional medical hubs in each state in collaboration with the private sector. These hubs will serve as integrated healthcare complexes, combining medical services, education, and research facilities under a single ecosystem.
Each regional hub will feature dedicated AYUSH centres and medical value-travel facilitation services. They will also include infrastructure for diagnostics, post-treatment care, and rehabilitation. The new complexes are expected to create significant employment opportunities for healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and allied health workers.
Understanding Medical Tourism
Medical tourism refers to traveling to other countries to receive healthcare treatments, procedures, or access specialists that may be unavailable, costly, or less advanced in one’s home country. India has become a prominent destination for medical tourism, attracting nearly two million international patients annually from 78 countries, according to the Medical Tourism Association (MTA). The largest share of patients comes from Australia, Canada, China, Russia, the UK, and the US.
Year-on-year data from 2018 to 2023 shows a steady increase in foreign visitors traveling to India specifically for medical treatments.
AYUSH Visa for International Visitors
In August 2023, the Indian government introduced the AYUSH Visa for foreign nationals to facilitate inbound wellness and healthcare travel. This visa allows international patients to access traditional Indian healthcare systems such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy, and more. The AYUSH Visa has three categories:
-
AY-1 (Ayush Visa): For patients seeking therapeutic care or wellness treatments.
-
AY-2 (Ayush Attendant Visa): For up to two attendants or family members accompanying the patient.
-
e-Ayush Visa: An electronic version for citizens of approximately 171 eligible countries, streamlining the online application process.