India is rapidly transforming its healthcare landscape and emerging as a global destination for medical value travel, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said on Tuesday, crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for driving comprehensive reforms in the sector.

Speaking at the 8th edition of ‘Advantage Health Care – India 2026’, organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Mr Nadda highlighted that India has undertaken wide-ranging reforms to build a resilient, high-quality and globally aligned healthcare system.

“India has undertaken comprehensive reforms to build a resilient, high quality and globally aligned health care system. The government continues to strengthen the ecosystem supporting medical value travel by enhancing coordination across ministries, regulatory authorities, accreditation agencies and state governments,” he said.

Calling medical travel an instrument of diplomacy and cooperation, the minister noted that healthcare engagement goes beyond treatment. “We view medical travel as a channel of cooperation that builds confidence and strengthens people-to-people ties between nations,” he added.

Mr Nadda said medical value travel reflects India’s clinical excellence, international benchmark standards, transparent governance frameworks and patient-centric approach. He emphasised that India’s highly skilled medical professionals and modern healthcare infrastructure provide advanced treatment across specialties such as cardiology, oncology, organ transplantation, orthopaedics and neurosciences.

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Minister of State for Ayush (Independent Charge), Prataprao Jadhav, underlined the increasingly global character of healthcare. “Healthcare today is no longer confined within national boundaries. It is shaped by collaboration, technology, knowledge exchange and shared responsibility,” he said.

Highlighting India’s integrated model, Mr Jadhav said the country’s healthcare ecosystem has evolved into a dynamic framework combining advanced clinical capabilities, digital health innovation, a strong pharmaceutical base and a growing network of globally engaged institutions. He also stressed the importance of integrating traditional systems with modern medicine, noting that India’s model values innovation alongside tradition and treatment alongside prevention.

Dr Upasana Arora, Chairperson of the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), said India is no longer known solely for affordability in healthcare. “Today, India is recognised for high technology, best skills and holistic healing. We have strengthened patient comfort, connectivity and seamless facilitation, positioning India not just as a cost-effective destination but as a trusted and comprehensive healthcare partner for the world,” she said.

Dr Raajiv Singhal, Chair of the FICCI Medical Value Travel Committee and Group CEO of Marengo Asia Healthcare, said the concept has evolved from medical tourism to medical value travel, underscoring that healthcare must be built on trust and transparency.

Echoing similar sentiments, Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director at Apollo Hospitals and Co-Chair of the FICCI MVT Committee, said India uniquely combines the strengths of Western medicine with Eastern wisdom. He expressed confidence that this integrated approach would position India as a preferred global destination for medical value travel in the coming years.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor to FICCI’s Medical Value Travel and Health Services initiatives.