Hospital Bed Shortage: India Needs Nearly 29 Lakh More Beds by 2035 to Match Global Levels
India will need nearly 2.9 million additional hospital beds by 2035 to align its healthcare infrastructure with global benchmarks, highlighting the need for significant expansion of the country's medical facilities.
India will need nearly 2.9 million additional hospital beds by 2035 to align its healthcare infrastructure with global benchmarks, highlighting the need for significant expansion of the country's medical facilities. The country will also require an estimated 2.6 billion square feet of additional healthcare real estate over the same period, according to a report by CBRE South Asia, cited by IANS on October 16, 2026.
The findings underline the scale of infrastructure investment required to meet India's growing healthcare needs and improve access to medical services as demand for hospital facilities continues to rise.
India Faces Significant Hospital Bed Shortage
According to the report, India currently has nearly 1.6 hospital beds per 1,000 people, indicating a substantial gap between existing capacity and the infrastructure needed to meet global benchmarks. New Delhi: AIIMS Makes 1,500 Beds Across Multiple Campuses Available for Patients' Families Through 'Ashray Night Shelter' Initiative.
The requirement for an additional 2.9 million beds by 2035 reflects the scale of expansion needed across the country's healthcare system. Increasing hospital capacity will require investments in medical facilities, supporting infrastructure and healthcare real estate.
Healthcare Real Estate Demand to Rise by 2035
The report estimates that India will need around 2.6 billion square feet of additional healthcare real estate by 2035. This expansion is expected to require the development of hospital buildings and other facilities to support the country's growing medical infrastructure needs.
Healthcare real estate is an important component of the sector, as hospitals require specialised buildings, medical infrastructure and supporting services to deliver treatment.
Expanding Healthcare Infrastructure Remains a Key Challenge
Meeting the projected demand for hospital beds and healthcare space will require sustained investment in infrastructure development. The expansion will also need to account for the availability of medical professionals, equipment and other resources necessary to operate additional facilities.
The report's projections highlight the scale of India's healthcare infrastructure requirements over the coming decade. Bridging the gap between existing capacity and global benchmarks will be important for improving the availability of hospital services as healthcare demand grows.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 16, 2026 03:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).