Team siliconindia

• Government policies making healthcare more affordable and accessible.
• Focus on balancing local care and global medical tourism.
• Push to integrate Yoga, Ayurveda, and wellness in 'Heal in India'.

India is on track to become the world’s top destination for affordable, high-quality healthcare and medical value tourism, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said at the 22nd CII Annual Health Summit in New Delhi.

Highlighting the government’s efforts to make healthcare more accessible, Goyal noted major steps such as reducing GST on health and life insurance from 18% to 0%, and lowering duties on essential medicines, cancer care drugs, and medical devices. He added that the government is open to exploring further reductions to ensure affordability for all citizens.

Goyal praised the success of Jan Aushadhi Kendras, which now number over 10,000 across India. These outlets provide affordable generic medicines and sanitary products, improving access for rural and low-income communities. “Our goal is to ensure affordability and accessibility at the grassroots level”, he said.

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The Minister emphasized that India’s healthcare growth must be inclusive. “We cannot focus only on medical tourism while our citizens struggle for quality care”, he stated. A strong domestic healthcare base, he added, is crucial for building a sustainable global reputation.

Goyal also urged the integration of India’s traditional wellness strengths of Yoga, Ayurveda, meditation, and spiritual tourism under the ‘Heal in India’ initiative. “Our edge lies in blending modern medicine with holistic healing and compassionate care”, he said.