Indian hospital chains are turning to Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia for new patients as the conflict in the Middle East slows the flow of medical travellers from the region, industry executives and experts said.
For Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, Manipal Hospitals, HealthCare Global Enterprises and several other chains, the Middle East accounts for a significant number of international patients.
Many patients from countries such as Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Yemen travel to India for cancer treatment, heart surgeries, transplants and orthopaedic procedures. Their arrival has slowed to a near standstill as the Iran war crippled air traffic in the region.
“The Middle East contributes roughly 20-25% of our medical value travel (MVT) revenues, with a large proportion of patients coming from markets such as Yemen and Oman. If disruptions persist over an extended period, this corridor could see some temporary moderation in volumes,” Manipal Hospitals group chief operating officer Karthik Rajagopal told ET. In such instances of conflict, we usually diversify our efforts across Southeast Asia, Africa and certain developed markets, he said.
Fortis Healthcare was getting five to six new patients daily from the region, primarily Iran and Iraq, before the conflict intensified.
“We are hoping things will return to normal in a couple of months. But until then, we are planning fresh market research and new market development,” said Ganapati Hegde, cluster head for international markets at Fortis Healthcare.
The chain will probably focus more on the African region and Europe, because of the long waiting times patients face to see doctors in those places, Hegde said.
India’s $7-8 billion MVT industry relies majorly on patients from the Middle East, said Aryaman Tandon, managing partner for healthcare and life sciences at Praxis Global Alliance, a management consulting and advisory firm. “India’s cost advantage is a key driver, with major surgeries 60-80% cheaper than in the Middle East,” he added.
The impact goes beyond just fewer patients. Middle Eastern patients typically stay in premium rooms, undergo complex procedures and pay in foreign currency, making them among the most profitable for Indian hospitals.
“Even a temporary disruption can materially impact the revenue mix, because a small number of such patients contribute disproportionately to profits,” said Salil Kallianpur, managing director of market intelligence firm ARKS Knowledge Consulting.
The 500-plus bed KIMSHEALTH Al-Shifa super speciality hospital in Kerala’s Malappuram district said its international revenue could take a hit if the conflict drags on, since most of its foreign patients come from the Middle East. The hospital expects a 10–15% drop in revenue if the situation does not improve, said chairman P Unneen Haji.
The Middle East accounted for nearly 18% of total foreign medical arrivals in India in 2024, after South Asia and Africa, according to the tourism ministry’s Tourism Data Compendium 2025 report.
Looking beyond Gulf
If the crisis persists and travel disruptions continue, hospitals are likely to focus more on diversifying their international patient sourcing toward regions such as Africa, Central Asia and neighbouring South Asian markets, said Tandon. Many providers are also strengthening teleconsultation and second-opinion services, allowing patients to initiate consultations remotely and travel only once the geopolitical situation stabilises.
Flight connectivity is a major concern. Several Middle Eastern airports also serve as stopover points for patients flying in from other markets such as Africa and Central Asia. If those routes are disrupted, hospitals could lose patients from two regions simultaneously. “We will approach the government to add more direct flights from other countries as connecting flights often via gulf gets cancelled,” Fortis Healthcare’s Hegde said.
For international patients, India’s advantage is clear, clinical expertise, affordability and faster access to treatment.
“Patients do not travel here for leisure. They come for clinical expertise, faster access and affordability,” said Rajagopal.
Hospital chains say the industry’s fundamentals remain strong, but their immediate focus is on building new patient corridors beyond the Gulf.
