NEW DELHI: India’s affordable, high-quality healthcare has attracted foreign patients for decades, but its medical tourism industry is now slowing, with the US-Israeli war on Iran preventing many, particularly those in the Gulf, from reaching Indian hospitals for treatment.
India ranks 10th globally, among 46 medical-tourism destinations according to the 2025 Medical Tourism Index, but airspace restrictions, flight rerouting, and rising travel costs over the past five months have directly decreased global patient mobility.
According Dr. Raajiv Singhal, CEO of Marengo Asia Hospitals, who also chairs the Medical Value Travel Committee of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the country’s $13 billion medical tourism sector is facing “severe” operational challenges.
“We’re seeing a 40-60 percent decline in medical value travel numbers from conflict-affected regions, with airspace closures, flight suspensions, and increased airfares of 15-25 percent creating major barriers for international patients,” he said.
“Conflict-affected regions, which were a source of a large pool of patients, have been particularly hit, with medical travel dropping sharply due to travel disruptions. With the current scenario, people from these areas are taking precautionary measures and deferring non-urgent trips.”
