India is now the go-to destination of NRIs for world-class healthcare, says recent data.

A research by Policybazaar reveals that “India is fast emerging as one of the world’s most sought-after medical tourism hubs. The growth is quite visible with more NRIs turning to India to access high-quality healthcare. Our data indicates a 150% overall growth in the share of NRI customers in FY 25”.

According to the data, the significant 150% growth in the share of NRI customers in FY 2024-25 highlights how India’s appeal universally in the medical tourism space is on the rise.

The main reason for the trend is the cost advantage. When compared to other countries such as the US and the UK, the treatment cost for any medical condition is far lesser in India. While a heart bypass surgery in India costs around USD 8,000, the same procedure could cost upwards of USD 70,000 in the U.S. Transplants and replacement procedures also exhibit the same cost factor difference.

Online searches by NRIs for health insurance options in India have also been noticed. While in India, the average annual health insurance premium per person does not exceed USD 300, the same coverage in the U.S. exceeds USD 8,000 annually; in GCC countries, the insurance premium ranges from USD 4,000 to USD 5,000.

The data also records that women NRI customers and those under 35 years of age prefer Indian healthcare to that of any other country, with south Indian cities dominating the list of locations for NRI patients. – Image by freepik – editor@nrifocus.com