Advantage Healthcare India 2026 Highlights India’s Growing Role in Medical Value Travel
The 8th edition of Advantage Healthcare India (AHCI) 2026, along with the 6th FICCI Medical Value Travel (MVT) Awards, brought together policymakers, healthcare leaders and industry stakeholders to discuss the future of India’s medical value travel sector.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, said that Advantage Healthcare India reflects both the country’s progress and its long-term vision in medical value travel. He noted that India has steadily developed into a global healthcare destination supported by accredited institutions, skilled medical professionals and a mix of modern medicine and traditional wellness systems.
He highlighted government initiatives such as the Heal in India programme, medical visa facilitation and the development of integrated medical and wellness hubs as steps toward strengthening the ecosystem. He added that medical value travel represents not only economic opportunity but also India’s approach to delivering healthcare services with accessibility and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Sudhanshu Pandey (Retd.), Election Commissioner for the Union Territories and Jury Chair of the FICCI Medical Value Travel Awards, reflected on the sector’s structured growth over the past decade. He said the awards were established to encourage benchmarking and continuous improvement, adding that the next phase of expansion would depend on stronger institutional systems, documentation practices and alignment with global standards.
Mr. Kabiir Khattar, Associate Vice President at EY, outlined the evaluation framework behind the awards. He explained that submissions underwent multi-layer scrutiny by an independent jury panel, supported by defined metrics and compliance verification. He emphasised that transparent scoring and governance standards are essential as the sector expands internationally.
Dr. Raajiv Singhal, Chair of the FICCI Medical Value Travel Committee and MD & Group CEO of Marengo Asia Healthcare, said India’s healthcare outreach is entering a new phase driven by collaboration and global partnerships. He noted that expanding participation across institutions is reinforcing India’s role in advanced and comprehensive medical care.
Delivering the vote of thanks, Dr. Ravi Gaur, Founder of DRG Path Labs, acknowledged the presence of the Chief Guest, jury members, partners and stakeholders, and congratulated the award recipients.
The MVT Awards 2026 were presented at AHCI 2026 to recognize institutions, hospitals, facilitators, AYUSH organisations, wellness providers, and policymakers contributing to the development of India’s medical value travel ecosystem.
The ceremony was attended by Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who addressed participants and presented the awards to the winners.
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