Medical tourism in India gets boost from visitors from Bangladesh

India saw a dramatic increase in medical tourism from Bangladesh in 2023, with the number rising by 48 percent from 304,067 in 2022 to 449,570. This sharp increase contrasts with relatively low inflows from other neighbouring countries such as the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Myanmar.

Government data reviewed by Business Standard shows that India issued just 1,432 medical visas to Sri Lankans in 2023-24, a decline of 11.7 percent year-on-year (YoY). Myanmar nationals received 3,019 medical visas, a modest increase of 4 percent year-on-year. The figures for Pakistan remained conspicuously low, with just 76 medical visas issued