Healthcare costs to touch ₹190 lakh crore by 2047
India's healthcare costs are projected to jump from about ₹10-11 lakh crore now to a massive ₹190 lakh crore by 2047, according to a new EY-Parthenon report.
This surge is driven by more people living longer and a steady rise in lifestyle diseases.
Healthcare could soon make up 6-7% of the country's GDP.
Aging population will drive up hospitalizations
By 2047, the number of Indians aged 40+ is expected to triple to 820 million, with over 350 million above 60.
That means hospitalizations may go up nearly two and a half times, and India will need almost five million hospital beds—more than double today's count.
Early NCDs and late diagnoses are adding to the pressure.
Need for better disease management
Even with an estimated ₹30 lakh crore invested in healthcare by 2047, returns are likely to be just 12-13%—less than what sectors like retail or FMCG see.
The report notes that better disease management could ease the demand for hospital beds by about a million, hinting at the value of prevention and early care.