IHH Healthcare plans significant expansion in India 

Singapore-based conglomerate IHH Healthcare is advancing its expansion plans in India, aiming to tap into the country’s growing healthcare market as part of its broader expansion strategy.

IHH Healthcare, which has operations spanning from Amsterdam through Turkey, Southeast Asia, and India, where it owns Fortis and Gleneagles hospitals, sees India as a crucial market for both expansion and innovation.

Looking ahead, IHH’s growth strategy in India will focus on brownfield expansions, digital health integration, and strengthening its oncology services. As the demand for quality healthcare rises, driven by an aging population, increased insurance coverage, and the burden of chronic diseases, IHH aims to play a role in shaping the future of healthcare in India.

The firm is focusing on the India’s growth potential, especially in advanced medical care and complex procedures. Since acquiring Fortis, IHH has been restructuring its Indian portfolio, selling underperforming assets and acquiring new ones in regions like the National Capital Region. The company has highlighted the turnaround Fortis has seen, with EBITDA margins rising to over 20%, a significant improvement from earlier single-digit figures.

“With plans to add nearly 2,000 more beds over the next five years, IHH is positioning itself to meet India’s growing healthcare demand. Fortis has performed strongly, and the legal challenges are behind us. We now have a solid base for further expansion,” Dr Prem Kumar Nair, Group Chief Executive Officer of IHH, told BT in an interview.

India’s role as a hub for advanced procedures such as robotic surgeries and organ transplants has further increased its importance to IHH. "India stands out for high-end clinical work," said Dr Nair, pointing to hospitals like Gleneagles Mumbai, which is recognised for its expertise in limb reattachment surgeries, and Fortis FMRI in Gurgaon, which has made progress in oncology. The latter recently acquired the MR-LINAC, a machine that allows for precise cancer treatment, highlighting IHH’s focus on medical technology in India.

Oncology has emerged as a focal point for the group’s growth in India. "We are invested in advanced cancer care, from lab diagnostics to radiation treatments," Ashok Pandit, Group Chief Corporate Officer at IHH said emphasising the importance of precision medicine and genomics in the future of cancer treatment. Fortis FMRI, with its technology, and Mount Elizabeth Novena in Singapore, offering proton beam therapy, reflect IHH's commitment to oncology services, he said.

India’s healthcare sector benefits from a large pool of highly trained medical professionals, many of whom have returned after receiving training abroad. “The clinical competence in India is one of its strengths,” Pandit added. However, a significant challenge remains in ensuring access to quality care in rural and underserved regions. While urban centres boast advanced facilities, much of India’s population still lacks easy access to healthcare services.

To address this, IHH is employing a hub-and-spoke model in its expansion into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The model has already proven successful in areas like Fortis Mohali, which serves patients from neighbouring states such as Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. “We’re replicating this model in other cities, such as Jaipur and Indore, to create regional healthcare hubs,” Dr Nair explained.

Technology is playing an increasingly crucial role in IHH's India strategy. The group is investing in digital health platforms, telemedicine, and AI-driven tools to enhance patient care. “We’ve developed a patient app that enables appointments, telemedicine consultations, and access to reports, making healthcare more accessible,” said Pandit. IHH is also implementing electronic medical records (EMR) across its hospitals to align with India’s National Digital Health Mission, improving the coordination and quality of patient care.

IHH’s interest in the diagnostics and laboratory sector is also growing. The group has established a separate vertical for lab services across its key markets, including India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Turkey. These labs are increasingly focused on complex services such as genetic testing and precision medicine. “Oncology is becoming a key area of growth for our labs, and we are continuously exploring ways to integrate more advanced diagnostics into our offerings,” said Pandit.

As India’s healthcare sector continues to expand, IHH sees opportunities for growth, particularly in diagnostics and oncology. However, attracting experienced medical professionals to smaller cities remains a challenge. “Many patients still prefer travelling to larger cities for treatment, and it’s difficult to entice top consultants to relocate to smaller towns,” Dr Nair acknowledged. Despite this, IHH is confident in its ability to build secondary hospitals that feed into larger tertiary care centres, providing a comprehensive healthcare network across the country.

Public-private partnerships could also play a role in India’s healthcare future, similar to models seen in Southeast Asia, the company said. “We see potential for collaboration with the government to expand access to care, especially in underserved areas,” Dr Nair said, although he noted that substantial investment in public healthcare infrastructure would be necessary.