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In a move to increase the medical value travel, the Ministry of Home Affairs in India has announced the creation of a new category of visa called Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Ayush systems or Indian systems of medicine. This includes therapeutic care, wellness, and Yoga.
The introduction of the Ayush Visa comes as a fulfillment of the proposal for a specialised visa scheme catering to foreigners traveling to India for medical treatments under Ayush systems. A new chapter, known as Chapter 11A – Ayush Visa, has been incorporated into the Visa Manual, 2019, which specifically addresses the treatment under Indian systems of medicine. Necessary amendments have been made in various chapters of the manual to accommodate this new visa category.
According to the Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, 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 Medical Value Travel in India,” he added, saying that this initiative aligns with the vision of the Prime Minister to promote Indian traditional medicine globally.
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In recent years, India has witnessed decent growth in Medical Value Travel. According to a report by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) titled ‘The Global Wellness Economy: Looking beyond Covid,’ the Global Wellness economy is projected to grow at a rate of 9.9 per cent annually. The Ayush-based healthcare and wellness economy, in particular, is expected to reach USD 70 billion by the year 2025.The introduction of the Ayush Visa category is also a crucial part of India’s Heal in India initiative, which aims to position the country as a preferred destination for medical value travel. The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare are working collaboratively to develop a Heal in India portal to promote India as a world-class medical tourism destination.
The Ministry of Ayush has been engaged in promoting Ayush treatments both nationally and globally. As part of its efforts to boost medical tourism, the ministry recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Ministry of Tourism, to collaborate on the promotion of Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.
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