In a small town in Andhra Pradesh, a pink-domed hospital rises out of a garden. Patients arrive from across India for heart and brain surgery — and are not handed a bill. India has a long tradition of hospitals run by trusts, missions and charities. If you are wondering whether one could help you, here is how they work, what they offer, and what to expect as an international patient.
What makes a hospital "charitable"
In India, many hospitals are owned by a registered public trust or society rather than a company. Some were founded by religious missions, some by philanthropists, some by doctors. In return for tax exemptions, and often land at a concession from the government, many carry duties to treat poorer patients free or at reduced rates.
Those duties are real and increasingly enforced. In Delhi, private hospitals built on concessional government land must keep 10% of in-patient beds and 25% of out-patient care free for economically weaker patients — a rule upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. In a May 2026 hearing, the Court found only four of 51 hospitals that had received notices to be compliant, and ordered a standard procedure to enforce the rule. In Maharashtra, charitable hospitals must keep 10% of beds free for indigent patients and 10% at concessional rates for weaker sections.
Three ways charity hospitals work
- Free for everyone. A few institutions, such as the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi, are known for treating patients without charge, irrespective of financial means — including, as the institute has reported, robotic cardiac surgery.
- Cross-subsidy. Paying patients help fund free care for others. Aravind Eye Hospitals is the best-known example: in April 2025 its hospitals recorded 272,645 paying out-patient visits and 108,282 free walk-in visits, alongside 69,479 surgeries.
- Mission and teaching hospitals. Large trust or mission hospitals, such as Christian Medical College Vellore, combine teaching, research and care, with charges that are often moderate and assistance for those who cannot pay.
| Paying visits | 272,645 |
|---|---|
| Free walk-in visits | 108,282 |
Aravind Eye Care System, patient statistics for April 2025 (hospital visits only; camps and vision centres excluded).
What this means for international patients
We want to be honest here, because hope is precious. The free and concessional beds that Indian law protects are meant for India's own poorest residents, usually defined by local income rules and documents. International patients are generally treated as paying patients, often through an international desk, and sometimes at different rates.
That does not mean trust hospitals are closed to you. Many offer excellent care at moderate prices, with a culture of service that patients notice. What it means is that you should not travel expecting free treatment unless a hospital has confirmed it to you in writing, before you book flights.
- Ask the hospital directly about its policy for international patients and any assistance funds.
- Expect long queues at some free or low-cost institutions, which serve very large numbers of people.
- Check the same things as anywhere: accreditation, the doctor's registration and experience, and a written estimate.
Government hospitals are a separate category again. Institutes such as PGIMER in Chandigarh and AIIMS in New Delhi are among India's most respected teaching hospitals, with low charges, but they serve enormous numbers of Indian patients and waiting times can be long. For most international patients, a well-run trust or private hospital with a clear international desk is the more practical choice.
- 1PuttaparthiSri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical SciencesOpen in Google Maps ↗
- 2VelloreChristian Medical CollegeOpen in Google Maps ↗
- 3MaduraiAravind Eye Hospital, the network's firstOpen in Google Maps ↗
- 4MohaliSohana Hospital, a charitable trust hospital near ChandigarhOpen in Google Maps ↗
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Tap a name to zoom.
Finally, remember that "charitable" describes ownership, not quality. Some trust hospitals are among the best in India; others are small and basic. Judge each one on the same evidence you would use for any hospital.
Closer to Chandigarh
Near our base, Sohana Hospital in Mohali is run by a charitable trust and is known for affordable care; we often suggest families consider it. We are not affiliated with it in any way — we simply support its cause. Read our story on Sohana Hospital.
How we give back
Charity in healthcare is not only for hospitals. BookMedTrip gives 10% of its net profit to our Care Fund, which helps international patients who are struggling with costs and runs a helpline for people in India who need basic healthcare. Our CARE community is our own programme and is not connected with any hospital group. Read more in Pay If You Can.
If cost is the main barrier for your family, tell us early. We will look honestly at the options — charitable, government, or private with a fair estimate — and say plainly what is realistic. Start with a consultation.
Independent research. Figures are quoted from the official and published sources listed below, as they stood when we checked them (October 2026). BookMedTrip is an independent facilitator and is not affiliated with any government body, hospital, charity or organisation named here, and receives no commission from them. If anything here is out of date or inaccurate, please write to care@bookmedtrip.com and we will correct it.
Savollar
Can foreigners get free treatment at charitable hospitals in India?
Usually not. Free and concessional beds required by law are meant for India's poorest residents under local income rules. International patients are generally treated as paying patients; ask the hospital in writing about any assistance.
What is a trust hospital in India?
A hospital owned by a registered public trust or society rather than a company. Many receive tax exemptions or land concessions and in return must treat some poorer patients free or at reduced rates.
Do Delhi private hospitals have to treat poor patients free?
Hospitals built on concessional government land must keep 10% of in-patient beds and 25% of out-patient care free for economically weaker patients, under a 2018 Supreme Court ruling.
Manbalar
- LiveLaw — Supreme Court directs Delhi Govt to frame SOP to enforce free EWS treatment (20 May 2026)
- Free Press Journal — Charitable hospitals in Pune and Maharashtra's rules (4 April 2025)
- Aravind Eye Care System — Patient statistics, April 2025
- UNI — Free robotic cardiac surgery at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Puttaparthi
