The Union Budget has placed renewed emphasis on healthcare-led growth and positioning India as a global destination for medical tourism, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing a series of initiatives to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and traditional medicine systems.

Presenting the Budget, Sitharaman said the government will launch a new scheme to support states in setting up 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 under one ecosystem.

The proposed hubs will house Ayush centres, medical value tourism facilitation centres, and advanced infrastructure for diagnostics, post-treatment care and rehabilitation, aimed at enhancing India’s attractiveness as a medical tourism hub.

To meet rising global demand, the Finance Minister announced additional measures, including the establishment of three new all-India institutes of Ayurveda, the upgradation of Ayush pharmacies and drug testing laboratories to meet higher certification standards, and the strengthening of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar. These steps, she said, are intended to bolster evidence-based research, training and awareness in traditional medicine.