Main source markets for medical travel to India

Which countries send the most medical travellers to India, using official 2025 arrival figures from the Press Information Bureau and Ministry of Tourism.

Infographic

By Nikhil Sharma, Founder · Updated · How we write and check

Bangladesh is by far the largest source of medical travellers to India. Government figures for 2025 show 325,127 arrivals for medical treatment from Bangladesh, followed by Iraq, Uzbekistan, Somalia, Turkmenistan and Oman. In all, 507,244 foreign nationals arrived in India for medical treatment in 2025, according to the Press Information Bureau.

IndiaMedicaMain source markets for medical travel to India
325,127Medical arrivals from BangladeshPIB, 2025
30,989Medical arrivals from IraqPIB, 2025
13,699Medical arrivals from UzbekistanPIB, 2025
11,506Medical arrivals from SomaliaPIB, 2025
10,231Medical arrivals from TurkmenistanPIB, 2025
9,738Medical arrivals from OmanPIB, 2025
Six figures showing 2025 medical arrivals in India from Bangladesh, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Somalia, Turkmenistan and Oman.

Which countries send the most medical travellers?

The Press Information Bureau note of May 2026 ranks source countries by 2025 arrivals for medical treatment. Bangladesh leads with 325,127. Iraq follows with 30,989, then Uzbekistan, Somalia, Turkmenistan and Oman. Kenya is next with 9,357.

How did 2024 compare?

A Ministry of Tourism answer in the Rajya Sabha in March 2026 gave 2024 figures. Bangladesh accounted for 4,82,336 medical arrivals out of 6,44,387 in total. Iraq had 32,008, Somalia 11,717, Oman 10,431 and Uzbekistan 8,921. The two sources cover different years, so the order of the smaller markets differs.

Why does the Bangladesh figure change so much?

The figures show a fall from 2024 to 2025 for Bangladesh. Neither source explains the change. Arrival numbers move with visa policy, regional events and travel links, so read them as a guide to patterns rather than a forecast.

What these numbers are not

They count arrivals for medical purposes recorded by the authorities. They say nothing about treatment results or the quality of any hospital.

How does IndiaMedica support patients from these countries?

Case managers reply in the patient’s language, including Bengali, Arabic, Russian, French, Swahili and Somali. IndiaMedica also publishes country guides covering the visa route and what to prepare.

Questions people ask

How many foreign patients came to India for treatment in 2025?

The Press Information Bureau reports 507,244 foreign nationals arrived in India for medical treatment in 2025. That was about 5.5 per cent of the 9.15 million foreign tourist arrivals that year, according to the same May 2026 note.

Where do these figures come from?

The 2025 country figures come from a Press Information Bureau note published in May 2026. The 2024 figures come from a Ministry of Tourism answer in the Rajya Sabha in March 2026. Both are official Government of India publications.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. How we write and check.

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