Introduction of Ayush visa for foreigners seeking treatment under Indian systems of medicine

In what seems like a significant move, the Ministry of Home Affairs in India has introduced a novel visa category known as 'Ayush Visa'. The visa type is designed to cater to foreign nationals seeking medical treatment, therapeutic care, wellness, and yoga in the country. Aayush, an organisation associated with promoting traditional Indian systems of medicine made the announcement recently.

Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India notified the creation of a new category of Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine. Ayush Visa fulfils the proposal to introduce a special visa scheme for foreigners visiting India for treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine like therapeutic care, wellness and Yoga.

The primary objective for introducing Ayush Visa is to address the growing demand for a specialized visa scheme that accommodates foreigners seeking medical services under Ayush systems that includes Ayurveda, Yoga, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha, and other traditional Indian systems of medicine.

A new chapter 11A – Ayush Visa has been incorporated after Chapter 11 - Medical Visa of the Visa Manual, which deals with treatment under the Indian systems of medicine and necessary amendments have been made in various chapters of the Visa Manual, 2019.

Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, said, “The creation of a new category of Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Ayush systems/Indian systems of medicine is a significant step. It will boost the medical value of travel in India. This initiative will strengthen our endeavour to accomplish our Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for making Indian traditional medicine a global phenomenon. I also want to compliment Shri Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, GoI for his efforts in creating a special Ayush Visa category”

The segment of medical value travel in India has seen tremendous growth in recent years. As per ‘The Global Wellness Economy: Looking beyond COVID’ report by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), the Global Wellness economy will grow at 9.9% annually. Ayush-based healthcare & Wellness economy is estimated to grow to $70 billion by 2025.

The Ministry of Ayush has been working on several fronts to promote Ayush system of treatment nationally and globally. Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Ministry of Tourism, GoI was signed to work together to promote Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.

It is relevant to mention that PM Narendra Modi announced the creation of Ayush Visa category for encouraging foreign nationals to travel to India seeking Ayush therapy, at the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in April 2022.

The introduction of Ayush Visa category is part of India’s roadmap for the Heal in India initiative of the government which intends to promote India as a medical value travel destination. The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare are working together to develop a one-stop Heal in India portal to promote the country as a medical tourist destination in the world.