India could offer visa on arrival to medical patients from US, Europe: Piyush Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal proposed on Tuesday that India may consider offering visa-on-arrival facilities for medical tourists, particularly from countries like the U.S. This move, suggested during the CII’s annual health summit, could potentially make India a more accessible destination for international patients seeking treatment.

Piyush Goyal’s comments during the Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) annual health summit spotlighted a potential shift in India’s approach to medical tourism. The proposal, which suggests offering visa-on-arrival facilities for medical patients from countries such as the U.S., is part of broader discussions to enhance India’s healthcare accessibility and global standing.

“The idea about a visa on arrival is a good idea. We will pursue that… For many countries, we allow visa on arrival, we allow e-visas… both these can be considered for countries like the United States, most of the European countries... not all, by the way," Goyal said.

He pointed out that the government would examine how the policy could be implemented for countries with which India has strong relations and where further background checks may not be necessary.

Goyal suggested that the CII take the initiative to formalise this proposal and present it to the government for further consideration. However, he also emphasised the need to ensure proper certification processes and a list of countries that could qualify for the visa-on-arrival facility.

Alongside this, Goyal underscored the importance of maintaining an inclusive and equitable healthcare model in India. "We cannot have a chalk and cheese system where local citizens are deprived of quality healthcare while focusing only on international medical tourism,” he stated.

In an effort to balance growth with inclusivity, the minister proposed that hospitals could allow up to 10% of their patients to be foreign nationals, while contributing a portion of their revenue to initiatives such as the Ayushman Bharat program or corporate social responsibility activities that benefit underprivileged communities.

Further emphasising the need for skilled manpower in the sector, Goyal urged healthcare institutions to expand their training programs, especially for nurses and caregivers, to meet both domestic and international demand.

He also expressed openness to exploring policies that would encourage Indian-origin doctors living abroad to contribute to the Indian healthcare ecosystem, although any such moves would require consultation with bodies such as the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

(With inputs from PTI)