Union Budget: Five regional medical hubs to be launched

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a scheme to launch five medical tourism hubs in regional cities, as part of the Union Budget 2026-27. They will be established in partnership with the private sector. The minister also announced three All India Institutes of Ayurveda during the Budget speech. The details on where the hubs will be set up have not announced yet.

What the hubs will offer
The medical hubs will combine research, medical and educational facilities. They will also have AYUSH centres, medical value tourism facilitation centres, and infrastructure for diagnostics, post-care, and rehabilitation. The FM said the hubs will also create employment opportunities for doctors, health professionals, and related professionals.

Regarding the All India Institutes of Ayurveda, the minister said the initiative will also help farmers who grow herbs and young people who process the products. Drug testing labs and Ayush pharmacies will also be upgraded to meet higher certification standards. The minister also called for upgrading the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar to bolster evidence-based research, training, and awareness of traditional medicine.

India's medical tourism hubs
The country already has several de facto medical tourism circuits, including Kerala, where many foreign nationals arrive to access affordable healthcare. Kerala's medical tourism sector, which integrates holistic care, wellness, and Ayurveda, is attracting international patients to the region. Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad also have their own medical tourism hubs.
(With inputs from PTI)