Amit's Blog

India vs. Global Medical Tourism: UAE’s Success with Indian Talent India’s medical tourism sector, valued at $7.69 billion in 2024 and attracting 700,000–800,000 patients annually, holds immense potential but underperforms due to systemic deficiencies. Despite offering treatments at 60–80% lower costs than Western countries and expertise in cardiac surgery, organ transplants, and oncology, India lags behind competitors like Thailand ($6–$7 billion, 1.8–2 million patients), Malaysia ($1.5–$2 billion, 1–1.2 million patients), Singapore ($2.2–$2.5 billion, 500,000 patients), Turkey ($2.5–$3 billion, 1–1.5 million patients), and the UAE ($3.5–$5 billion, 500,000–700,000 patients). Indian-managed facilities in the UAE, such as Aster DM Healthcare and Zulekha, capture 20–30% of its market, leveraging Indian expertise in a superior ecosystem. India’s growth is hindered by fragmented policies, poor infrastructure, weak branding, and reliance on volatile regions. China’s nascent sector (<$...

India’s Path to Upper-Middle-Income Status by 2050: Challenges and Opportunities   India, with its 1.4 billion people and rapidly growing economy, stands at a critical juncture in its development trajectory. Eighty years ago, most countries that were poor remained so, with rare exceptions like oil-rich nations aligned with the United States or those benefiting from US-led security and economic support, such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. China’s remarkable rise since the 1980s offers a partial exception, though it has not yet fully transitioned to high-income status. India, lacking vast natural resources or a geopolitical patron, faces a unique challenge: can it achieve upper-middle-income country (UMIC) status, defined by the World Bank as a GNI per capita between $4,516 and $14,005 (2024 thresholds), within the next 25 years? This essay explores India’s prospects, drawing on historical precedents, current economic trends, and expert insights. It examines whether India ...

India’s Position Amid the Russian-Chinese Axis and U.S. Security Dynamics   India, with a $86.1 billion defense budget (2.4% of GDP, 2024) and a $3.9 trillion economy (nominal GDP, 2024), is a pivotal player in a multipolar world shaped by the Russian-Chinese axis and U.S. security dynamics. Benefiting from U.S. alignment through QUAD, India balances China’s $314 billion (1.7% GDP) and Russia’s $149 billion (7.1% GDP) military spending, while navigating economic ties with both (China: $136 billion trade; Russia: $65 billion). Its strategic autonomy, bolstered by Russian arms (30% of arsenal) and U.S. partnerships, positions India as a regional counterweight in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and Indian Ocean. However, China’s economic leverage ($200 billion in regional trade) and Russia’s energy deals challenge India’s neutrality. This note explores India’s economic and geopolitical role across multiple theaters, its vulnerabilities to the axis, and implications for a U.S. North...