Medical Tourism in India: International Patient Desk
Planned treatment at an accredited hospital in India, with one coordinator from your first report to the flight home. For patients and families from the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, the Gulf and Africa.
- Accredited hospitals in India
- Flights to and from India arranged in-house
- One coordinator, 24/7
Reviewed by the Safe Fly Aviation patient coordination team. Updated .
Request a call back
A coordinator calls you, at any hour.
Medical tourism in India means travelling from abroad for planned treatment at an accredited Indian hospital, most often cardiac surgery, transplants, cancer care, orthopaedic and spine surgery. About 507,000 foreign patients came in 2025. Safe Fly Aviation’s international patient desk handles the journey: case review with hospitals, written estimates, the e-Medical visa, flights by business class, private jet or air ambulance, airport arrival, the family’s stay and the return home, with one coordinator throughout.
We Take Care of Every Detail Outside the Operating Theatre
One team in New Delhi handles every part of the trip that is not the treatment itself, so the patient and family deal with one person instead of a hospital, an airline, a visa office and a hotel separately.
Case review before you travel
Send recent reports, scans and discharge summaries. We share them with the international patient teams of suitable accredited hospitals and bring back their treatment plans.
Hospital and doctor choice
You see the options side by side: the hospital, the treating doctor, the plan and the written estimate. You choose; we confirm the booking with the hospital.
Medical visa
The hospital issues the letter needed for India’s e-Medical visa. We help you apply for the patient and up to two attendants, with dates that match the treatment plan.
Flights and medical transport
Business class, a doctor or nurse alongside, an airline stretcher, a private jet or a dedicated ICU air ambulance, chosen for the patient’s condition.
Arrival in India
A driver meets the patient and family at the airport and takes them to the hospital or the hotel. A wheelchair or road ambulance can be arranged at the aircraft.
Stay for the family
A hotel or serviced apartment close to the hospital for attendants, and for the patient after discharge if the doctor wants them nearby before flying.
One coordinator, 24/7
A single named coordinator in New Delhi stays with the case from the first report to the flight home, reachable by phone and WhatsApp at any hour.
Journey home
Once the treating doctor confirms fitness to fly, we arrange the return by scheduled flight, medical escort, stretcher or air ambulance, with the medical papers in hand.
Inside India’s Accredited Private Hospitals
International patients are treated in private hospitals with modern operating theatres, intensive care and single rooms where a family member can stay.
Representative photos of private hospital facilities in India. Rooms and equipment vary by hospital; ask us for photos of the hospital you are considering.
Medical Tourism in India from the USA, UK, Europe, the Gulf and Africa
The desk works with patients and families in these regions. Each card links to the travel guide for that region, with routes and medical transport prices.
USA and Canada
Patients come for the cost of major surgery and transplants, and Canadians for shorter waits for planned procedures. Nonstop flights reach Delhi in about 14.5 to 16 hours.
Escort from ₹18.75 lakhICU jet from ₹1.05 crore
UK and Europe
Patients come to avoid long waiting lists for planned surgery, or for a second opinion. London to Delhi is about 9 hours nonstop.
Escort from ₹8.75 lakhICU jet from ₹52.5 lakh
The Gulf
Patients come for specialist care such as transplants, cancer treatment and complex cardiac surgery. Most Gulf cities are 3 to 4 hours from Delhi or Mumbai.
Escort from ₹5 lakhICU jet from ₹27 lakh
Africa
Patients come for treatment that is hard to find at home, often oncology, cardiac and kidney care. Nairobi and Addis Ababa have nonstop flights to India.
Escort quoted case by caseICU jet quoted case by case
Medical transport budget ranges reviewed October 2026. Most patients who can sit upright fly on an ordinary airline ticket and need none of these. 1 lakh = ₹100,000; 1 crore = ₹10 million.
Treatments and Costs
International patients come to India most often for complex, planned treatment. The desk can arrange opinions for any specialty an accredited hospital offers.
Heart and cardiac surgery
Bypass surgery, valve repair and replacement, angioplasty, paediatric cardiac surgery.
Organ transplants
Liver, kidney and bone marrow transplants, under India’s transplant law (see below).
Cancer care
Surgical oncology, including robotic surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and tumour board opinions.
Orthopaedics and spine
Knee and hip replacement, revision surgery, spine surgery and sports injuries.
Neurosciences
Brain and spine tumour surgery, epilepsy surgery, stroke care and rehabilitation.
Second opinions
A specialist review of your reports and proposed treatment before you decide where to have it.
Approximate self-pay costs: India and the USA
| Procedure | India (approx.) | USA (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Heart bypass (CABG) | $5,000 – $12,000 | Can range up to $70,000 – $200,000 |
| Liver transplant | $30,000 – $45,000 | Often $300,000+ (total cost of care) |
| Knee replacement | $6,000 – $8,000 | Can range up to $30,000 – $50,000 |
| Hip replacement | $7,000 – $9,000 | Can range up to $30,000 – $60,000 |
| Cancer treatment | Varies widely by type and stage | Varies widely by type and stage |
Compiled from published medical tourism and healthcare cost reporting, not hospital price lists. The real cost depends on the hospital, the surgeon, any implant, the length of stay and the case. We request a written, itemised estimate from each hospital before you decide.
Organ Transplants for Foreign Patients: The Rules
India allows transplants for foreign nationals under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act. Families should know the rules before they plan the trip.
- A living donor must be a relative of the patient, and travels to India with the patient.
- The donor–recipient relationship must be certified on the prescribed form by a senior official of the patient’s country’s embassy in India.
- A government authorisation committee must approve the transplant before any surgery.
- Buying or selling organs is illegal in India.
- Foreign nationals can join the deceased-donor waiting list through a hospital, but are considered only when no suitable Indian patient is waiting.
Summary of Union Health Ministry guidance reported in the Indian Transplant Newsletter (opens in a new tab). The treating hospital confirms the documents needed for each case.
How It Works: Your Journey in Four Stages
From the first message to the follow-up at home, the same coordinator stays with the case.
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Before you travel
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Send the reports
Send recent reports, scans and discharge summaries by WhatsApp or email, with the patient’s nationality and the dates that suit you.
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Get opinions and estimates
We share the reports with the international patient teams of suitable accredited hospitals and return their treatment plans and written estimates.
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Choose and confirm
You choose the hospital and doctor. The hospital issues its letter, and we help the patient and up to two attendants apply for the e-Medical visa.
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Arrival in India
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Fly to India
We book the flight that suits the patient’s condition, from business class or a seat with a doctor or nurse alongside, to an airline stretcher, a private jet or an ICU air ambulance.
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Airport meet and stay
A driver meets the patient and family on arrival and takes them to the hospital or to a hotel or serviced apartment nearby.
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In hospital
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Admission and treatment
The coordinator works with the hospital’s international desk through admission and treatment, and keeps the family informed.
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Recovery before flying
After discharge, the patient can stay near the hospital until the treating doctor confirms fitness to fly.
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Back home
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Journey home
We arrange the return by scheduled flight, medical escort, stretcher or air ambulance, with the discharge summary and reports travelling with the patient.
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Follow-up
Where the hospital offers it, follow-up continues by video consultation with the treating doctor.
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Hospitals for International Patients
Accredited hospitals
India has a large private hospital sector. Dozens of hospitals hold international JCI accreditation and many more are accredited under India’s NABH standard. We work with hospitals that have international patient departments, and confirm a hospital’s current accreditation before you book.
Large hospital groups
Groups that treat many international patients include Apollo Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, Max Healthcare and Medanta – The Medicity, which reports more than 2,500 liver transplants. Volume and outcome figures are published by the hospitals themselves, so ask for current data for your procedure.
Hospital names are given as examples and do not mean a partnership or endorsement. You choose the hospital.
Medical Visa for India
- e-Medical visa: for treatment in India, applied for online with a letter from the treating hospital. The official portal lists it as valid for 365 days from arrival with multiple entries; its own FAQ still says 60 days, so go by the validity printed on the visa.
- e-Medical Attendant visa: for up to two companions, linked to the patient’s e-Medical visa.
- No extension: an e-Visa cannot be extended or converted, so the dates should match the treatment plan.
- Embassy route: some nationalities cannot use the e-Visa and apply for a Medical visa at an Indian embassy or high commission.
- Yellow fever: travellers arriving from countries with yellow fever risk, including several in Africa, need a valid certificate or can be quarantined for up to 6 days.
Rules differ by nationality and change. Check the official Indian e-Visa portal (opens in a new tab) before applying.
Travel Options to and from India
Safe Fly Aviation is an aviation company first, so the flight is arranged in-house, matched to the patient’s condition and the family’s wishes.
Business class, with or without a medical escort
Most patients fly on a scheduled airline. For a patient who needs care on the way, a doctor or nurse sits alongside with oxygen and medicines.
Airline stretcher
A stretcher replaces a block of seats on a scheduled flight, with a medical escort alongside. The airline must give medical clearance first.
Private jet or ICU air ambulance
A private jet flies on the family’s schedule, nonstop on most routes. Fitted as an air ambulance with an ICU team, it moves unstable patients bed to bed.
| From | Medical escort on a scheduled flight | Private ICU air ambulance |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar) | From ₹5 lakh | From ₹27 lakh |
| Europe and the UK | From ₹8.75 lakh | From ₹52.5 lakh |
| USA | From ₹18.75 lakh | From ₹1.05 crore |
| Canada and Africa | Quoted case by case | Quoted case by case |
A private jet without a medical team is quoted per trip. See the full air ambulance cost list and Safe Fly Aviation private jet charter.
Why Families Use Our Desk
An aviation company, not only an agent
We arrange business-class seats, medical escorts, airline stretchers, private jets and air ambulances ourselves, so the flight fits the medical plan.
Both directions
We plan the journey home at the same time as the journey out, including a stretcher or air ambulance if recovery needs one.
Your choice of hospital
We put the plans and estimates side by side and explain the differences; the decision stays with the patient and family.
Awake when you are
The desk in New Delhi answers calls and WhatsApp 24 hours a day, whatever the time zone at home.
For Insurers, Embassies, Doctors and Employers
Insurers, assistance companies, embassy medical offices, referring doctors and employers can refer patients to the desk. With the patient’s consent, we keep the referrer updated at each stage, from hospital opinion to the return flight.
Send Your Reports for a Treatment Plan
Tell us the treatment and where the patient is. A coordinator will reply with next steps and ask for the reports. You can also send reports straight to WhatsApp.
Patient enquiry
For an emergency transfer, call rather than wait for a reply.
Call or WhatsApp the desk
New Delhi, UTC+5:30, open 24 hours. WhatsApp works from any country and accepts reports and scans.
- +91 98112 76859Main line, 24/7CallWhatsApp
- +91 78400 00473Calls and WhatsAppCallWhatsApp
- +91 98116 73015Calls and WhatsAppCallWhatsApp
8/25 Mehram Nagar, Opp G+5 Building, Terminal 1C, IGI Airport, New Delhi 110037, India
Email: info@safefly.aero
Frequently Asked Questions
What is medical tourism in India?
Medical tourism in India is travel from another country for planned treatment at an Indian hospital, returning home once recovered enough to travel. Common treatments are cardiac surgery, organ transplants, cancer care, orthopaedic and spine surgery, and neurosurgery. The Government of India calls it medical value travel.
What does Safe Fly Aviation’s international patient desk do?
It plans the whole journey for patients coming to India for treatment. We share your reports with the international patient teams of accredited hospitals, compare their treatment plans and written estimates with you, help with the e-Medical visa, and arrange the flights, medical transport, airport arrival, accommodation and the journey home. The treatment itself is given by the hospital.
Who chooses the hospital and the doctor?
You do. Where possible we obtain opinions and estimates from more than one accredited hospital, explain the differences in the plans, and confirm the booking with the hospital you choose.
How much does treatment in India cost compared with the USA or the UK?
It depends on the procedure, the hospital and the patient. For major surgery and transplants, savings of 70% to 90% against US prices are commonly quoted, but treat any percentage as a guide. We ask each hospital for a written, itemised estimate so you can compare them before deciding.
How do I get a medical visa for India?
Most nationalities can apply online for India’s e-Medical visa, using a letter from the treating hospital. Up to two companions can get e-Medical Attendant visas. The official portal lists the e-Medical visa as valid for 365 days from arrival with multiple entries, but go by the validity printed on your visa. An e-Visa cannot be extended or converted, and some nationalities must apply through an Indian embassy instead.
Can a foreign patient have an organ transplant in India?
Yes, within India’s transplant law. A living donor must be a relative, the relationship must be certified by a senior official of the patient’s embassy in India, and a government authorisation committee must approve the transplant before surgery. Buying or selling organs is illegal. Foreign nationals can join the deceased-donor waiting list through a hospital, but are considered only when no suitable Indian patient is waiting.
How do patients travel to India?
Most patients fly on a scheduled airline, often in business class. A patient who needs care on the way can travel with a doctor or nurse alongside, or on an airline stretcher if they must lie flat. A private jet gives privacy and flies on the family’s schedule, and an ICU air ambulance moves unstable patients bed to bed. A medical escort starts at about ₹5 lakh from the Gulf and ₹8.75 lakh from Europe; a private ICU jet at about ₹27 lakh and ₹52.5 lakh.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Up to two companions can travel on e-Medical Attendant visas linked to the patient’s visa, and other relatives can apply for an ordinary visa. We arrange a hotel or serviced apartment near the hospital for the family.
How long will the patient need to stay in India?
The treating doctor sets this in the treatment plan. It depends on the procedure and on recovery, and usually includes some time after discharge before the doctor clears the patient to fly. We plan the visa dates and the return flight around that estimate and adjust them if recovery takes longer.
What happens after the patient returns home?
The patient travels home with the discharge summary, reports and medicine plan from the hospital. Where the hospital offers it, follow-up can continue by video consultation with the treating doctor. If the patient is not fit for a normal seat, we arrange a medical escort, stretcher or air ambulance for the return.
Start With One Message
Send the reports and the treatment you are considering. We come back with hospital options, written estimates and the travel plan.