A green signal for India to assert its health leadership

Context: The recent Budget has recognized healthcare as a fundamental pillar of national growth and development.

What are India’s steps towards healthcare transformation in Budget 2025-26?

• Increase in Healthcare Spending: The budget allocates ₹99,859 crore to the healthcare sector, reflecting a 9.8% rise compared to the previous fiscal year. 
• Expansion of Medical Education: Funds have been designated to create 10,000 additional medical college seats in FY26, with a long-term goal of adding 75,000 seats over the next five years. This initiative aims to meet the growing need for skilled healthcare professionals. 
• Enhancing Healthcare Infrastructure: The allocation for the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) has been increased by ₹1,000 crore to strengthen healthcare facilities at all levels. 
• Focus on Digital Health: The budget prioritizes expanding digital healthcare initiatives, including telemedicine and AI-based diagnostic tools, to improve access to medical services in underserved areas. 

• Boosting Medical Tourism: The ‘Heal in India’ initiative seeks to establish India as a leading medical tourism hub by introducing on-arrival visas for international patients and simplifying visa procedures. 
• Healthcare Coverage for Gig Workers: Recognizing their role in the modern service economy, the budget extends Ayushman Bharat coverage to one crore gig workers. 
• Advancing AI in Healthcare: Plans include setting up India’s Centre of Excellence for AI and expanding the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) initiative to drive research and innovation in the healthcare sector.

What would be the implications of Customs duty exemptions?

• Reducing Costs: The budget grants a full customs duty exemption on 36 life-saving drugs used for treating cancer, rare diseases, and other severe chronic illnesses. This initiative will lower the cost of these essential medicines, making them more affordable, especially for economically disadvantaged patients. 
• Enhanced Access to Medications: The exemption also applies to certain drugs under Patient Assistance Programs run by pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, 37 new medicines and 13 new patient assistance programs will be introduced next year, improving access to vital treatments for individuals with chronic conditions.

What are the objectives of synergy – ‘Heal in India’?

• Boost Medical Tourism: The ‘Heal in India’ initiative seeks to attract international patients by easing visa regulations and simplifying travel procedures for medical treatment. 
• Position India as a Global Healthcare Hub: Strengthening hospital infrastructure and improving visa processes will help establish India as a leading destination for international medical care.

What are the challenges in India? Insufficient Healthcare Infrastructure: India struggles with inadequate healthcare facilities, especially in rural regions, leading to disparities in access to medical services.  Example: The country has only 0.9 hospital beds per 1,000 people, with just 30% of these beds available in rural areas—far below the WHO-recommended standard of 3.5 beds per 1,000 people. Poor road and railway networks, along with an unstable power supply, further hinder the development of rural healthcare centers.    Financial Constraints: A large segment of the population faces financial difficulties in accessing healthcare, as many households rely on out-of-pocket expenses.  Example: A significant portion of Indians lack health insurance, increasing their financial burden and limiting access to essential medical care. Additionally, ICU costs, ranging between ₹60,000-90,000 per day, are unaffordable for most people.  Deficit of Healthcare Professionals: India faces a shortage of qualified medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and specialists.  Example: Community Health Centers (CHCs) report a shortfall of surgeons, obstetricians, general physicians, and pediatricians, with deficits ranging from 74.2% to 81.6% of the required workforce. The doctor-patient ratio remains critically low, particularly in rural areas.

Way forward:

• Enhance Rural Healthcare Facilities: Boost investments in rural hospitals, upgrade transportation and power infrastructure, and encourage private sector involvement to improve healthcare accessibility. 
• Increase Medical Workforce & Insurance Access: Expand training programs for healthcare professionals, create more medical seats, and broaden affordable health insurance coverage to minimize out-of-pocket expenses for low-income populations.

India must address illegal emigration with empathy and urgency

Context: The U.S. deporting several Indians due to illegal immigration is neither surprising nor unprecedented.

What are the reasons behind it? Crackdown on Illegal Immigration: The deportations are a result of strengthened Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts to locate, detain, and remove individuals without valid documentation in the U.S.  Widespread Unauthorized Migration: A significant number of Indians, especially from Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana, attempt to enter the U.S. unlawfully via Mexico and Canada due to economic hardship and limited job opportunities.

What is the potential impact of US immigration policies on Indian students and professionals?

• Legal Migration Pathways: The Indian government is focused on ensuring that legal migration routes to the U.S. remain open for Indian nationals, including H-1B visas for skilled professionals and student visas. 
• Curbing Illegal Immigration: Both India and the U.S. are working together to discourage illegal migration while expanding opportunities for lawful migration. 
• Rise in Deportations: The number of Indian nationals deported from the U.S. has increased by 400% over the past three years. In 2024, 1,529 Indians were deported, a sharp rise from 292 in 2021. 
• Challenges for Undocumented Indians: An estimated 725,000 undocumented Indians, primarily from Punjab and Gujarat, reside in the U.S. As of November last year, 20,407 undocumented Indians were either detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or had received final removal orders.

How will this impact the USA? Workforce Disruptions: The removal of undocumented immigrants may lead to labor shortages in industries dependent on migrant workers, such as construction and hospitality. (Example: Indian professionals play a crucial role in the U.S. IT and service sectors.) Strain on Diplomatic Relations: Mass deportations could create tensions between the U.S. and India, particularly if not managed diplomatically. (Example: The use of military aircraft for deportations previously led to protests from nations like Colombia.)

How might the deportation of Indian nationals affect the political landscape in India?

• Political Repercussions at Home: The mass deportation of Indians could become a contentious political issue, with opposition parties criticizing the government for inadequate job creation, forcing citizens to seek opportunities abroad. 
• Diplomatic Strains: Large-scale deportations, especially if deportees face mistreatment, could put pressure on India-U.S. relations, prompting diplomatic interventions. 
• Public Outrage: The use of military flights and reports of inhumane conditions, such as shackling, could fuel anti-U.S. sentiment among the Indian public. 
• Regional Political Impact: States with high numbers of returnees, such as Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana, may face political unrest, with local authorities under pressure to provide employment and reintegration support. 
• Stricter Immigration Policies: The Indian government might be pushed to implement tougher measures against illegal migration and human trafficking, making it harder for individuals to migrate unlawfully. 
• Effect on Indian Diaspora: The forced return of undocumented migrants could impact remittances, financial stability for families, and the global perception of Indian migrant communities.

Way forward

• Boost Domestic Employment: Introduce targeted economic policies to generate jobs, particularly in high-migration states like Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana, addressing key issues such as unemployment and agricultural distress that drive illegal migration. 
• Increase Awareness & Legal Migration Options: Launch educational campaigns highlighting the dangers of illegal migration while expanding secure and lawful migration avenues through bilateral agreements with the U.S. and other nations. 
• Strengthen Diplomatic & Policy Initiatives: Enhance diplomatic engagement to ensure fair treatment of deported individuals, advocate for favorable visa policies for Indian professionals and students, and collaborate with the U.S. on workforce mobility programs.