NEW DELHI. Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget, announced a set of transformative measures to position India as a global hub for Medical Value Tourism (MVT) and to strengthen the AYUSH ecosystem with a strong emphasis on quality, research, employment generation and international outreach. To promote India as a preferred destination for medical 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 bringing together medical services, education and research facilities, and will house AYUSH Centres, Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres, along with advanced diagnostics, post-treatment care and rehabilitation infrastructure. The initiative is expected to significantly enhance patient experience for both international and domestic visitors while creating diverse employment opportunities for doctors and allied health professionals.
Underscoring India’s growing global leadership in traditional medicine, the Finance Minister highlighted the international recognition of Yoga and the renewed global acceptance of Ayurveda in the post-COVID period, with rising global demand for AYUSH products benefiting farmers and youth involved in medicinal plant cultivation and value addition. To further strengthen the AYUSH sector, the Budget proposes setting up three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda to expand education, clinical care and research, upgrading AYUSH pharmacies and drug testing laboratories to ensure higher quality standards and skilled manpower, and enhancing the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre at Jamnagar to promote evidence-based research, training and global awareness. These initiatives reaffirm the Government’s commitment to integrating traditional knowledge with modern healthcare systems and establishing India as a trusted global destination for holistic and evidence-based healthcare.
