Chennai: The South Regional Summit on Ayush Medical Value Travel held at Hilton Chennai on Monday spotlighted India's growing prominence as a global hub for holistic and integrative healthcare.

The event aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to position India as a leader in wellness and traditional medicine.

With over 1,600 Ayush visas issued to citizens from more than 75 countries, India is rapidly emerging as a trusted destination for evidence-based, natural healthcare solutions. The summit, themed 'Ayush Medical Value Travel - Promoting Wellness, Strengthening Global Ties,' focused on Southern India's rich heritage in Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, and Homeopathy, highlighting Kerala's Panchakarma centres, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka's Siddha and naturopathy institutions, and growing research hubs in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry.

Union Minister of State (IC) for Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, emphasized the crucial role of India's traditional systems in a post-pandemic world, calling on states to develop culturally rooted yet globally relevant wellness models to strengthen India's leadership in Medical Value Travel, contributing to global health and economic growth.

Keynote speaker Sri Satya Kumar Yadav, Andhra Pradesh's Health Minister, hailed these efforts as transformative for establishing India as a global wellness hub. Joint Secretary Monalisa Dash from the Ministry of Ayush highlighted the government's focus on quality assurance, clinical standardization, and digital integration to facilitate international patient access.

The summit brought together 436 delegates, including healthcare providers, research institutes, wellness facilitators, and industry leaders like Kairali Ayurvedic Group and Apollo AyurVAID Hospitals. Discussions stressed collaboration to expand Ayush medical tourism and build a sustainable, integrative healthcare ecosystem.

The event concluded with a call to elevate standards in safety, quality, and patient satisfaction, reinforcing India's position as a premier destination for traditional healing worldwide.