Tensions stemming from the US-Israel-Iran conflict have started to affect various sectors in India, particularly healthcare. Indian hospital chains have reported a significant reduction of 50 to 75 percent in the influx of international patients from Middle Eastern countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. This drop is noticeably impacting the medical tourism market, a vital segment for many hospitals in India.

Economic Implications of Diminished Patient Arrivals

A 2023 report by FICCI highlights that India’s medical tourism sector, valued at around $6.5 billion in 2022, was projected to potentially exceed $13 billion by 2026. However, the ongoing instability in the Middle East raises concerns that these growth forecasts might not be realized. India has seen a rise in its Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism, increasing from $21,360 million in 2022 to $32,189 million in 2023, with an anticipated rise to $35,016 million in 2024, despite current challenges.

India’s Position in Global Medical Tourism

In the Medical Tourism Index for 2020-21, India ranked 10th among the top 46 medical tourism destinations worldwide. Additionally, it secured the 12th position among the global wellness tourism markets and 5th among wellness destinations in the Asia-Pacific region. The medical tourism sector is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 21.1 percent from 2020 to 2027. Over recent years, fluctuations have characterized the medical tourism landscape in India, with numbers of medical tourists showing considerable variation.

Trends in Medical Visits Over Recent Years

During 2021, despite a general decline in overall arrivals attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an increase in medical visits, reaching 323,748. The sector experienced a strong rebound in 2022, leading to an influx of 474,798 medical tourists. The growth momentum continued into 2023, with up to 659,356 medical visits. However, in 2024, there was a slight decline as the figures adjusted to 644,387. For 2025, from January to November, India recorded 450,633 medical tourists.

Medical Tourists from Middle Eastern Countries

Data from the Ministry of Tourism indicates that nearly 18 percent of tourists arriving in India from the Middle East in 2024 came for medical purposes, making it the highest share of medical travelers from any region. Notably, medical tourists from this region typically spend around 12 to 13 days in India for treatment. Among various countries contributing to medical tourism, Bangladesh ranks first with 482,336 patients in 2024, while Iraq with 32,008 and Oman with 10,431 follow among Middle Eastern nations.

Overall Tourist Arrivals from the Middle East

From 2023 to 2024, foreign tourist arrivals from the Middle East to India saw a marginal recovery, with total numbers increasing from 287,000 to 295,000, signifying approximately a 2.6 percent growth. The highest contributors included Egypt, with 66,703 tourists, closely followed by Iraq with 66,699, and other countries such as Jordan and Kuwait, with 46,167 and 40,247 arrivals, respectively.

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