Healthy Ageing, Healthy Economy: Why Yoga Matters for India’s Future

As economies across the world grapple with ageing populations, rising healthcare expenditure and the growing burden of chronic disease, a defining policy question is emerging: how can nations extend not merely lifespan, but health span, the years lived in good health, independence and dignity?

India’s population aged 60 years and above is projected to more than double from approximately 100 million in 2011 to 230 million by 2036. Its share of the population is expected to rise from 8.4% to 14.9% over the same period. This demographic transition reflects progress in healthcare, living conditions and longevity. At the same time, it requires us to prepare for changing patterns of disease, care, consumption and employment. Thus, the national objective must be not only to add years to life, but also life to those years.

The answer will shape workforce participation, productivity, household finances and the sustainability of healthcare systems for decades to come.

The 12th International Day of Yoga being celebrated with the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing” is particularly significant as it reaffirms India’s commitment to advancing Yoga as a pathway to healthier, more active and productive lives.

For India, healthy ageing is not only a social or healthcare priority. It is increasingly an economic imperative.

India has a distinctive advantage rooted in its civilisational knowledge. Yoga and Ayurveda have always viewed health as a state of balance and prevention as the first line of care. Centuries before preventive medicine, lifestyle modification and holistic well-being gained global prominence, these traditions incorporated them into everyday living.

India’s demographic transition is also creating a significant economic opportunity. The country’s silver economy, comprising products and services designed for older people, was estimated at approximately ₹73,000 crore in 2024 and is expected to expand considerably in the years ahead.

Demand will grow across preventive healthcare, geriatric medicine, therapeutic wellness, assisted living, rehabilitation, diagnostics, insurance, nutrition, medical devices, digital health, home-based care and age-friendly consumer products.

For Indian industry, this is an opportunity to address an important social need while creating new avenues for enterprise, employment and innovation. Businesses can develop solutions such as wearable health technologies, remote monitoring systems, mobility aids, personalised nutrition, digitally enabled Yoga programmes, home diagnostics and integrated wellness services.

There is also considerable potential at the intersection of Yoga, Ayurveda, modern medicine and technology. India can develop evidence-based and globally relevant models of preventive and integrative healthcare, supported by credible research, trained professionals, strong standards and responsible digital innovation.

Industry must play a central role in this journey. Employers can embed preventive health into workplace strategies through Yoga and wellness programmes, preventive screening, mental health support, ergonomic workplaces and age-inclusive employment practices. Healthcare and wellness enterprises can strengthen the continuum between prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care.

“Yoga for Healthy Ageing” must therefore be understood as more than the theme of a commemorative day. It represents a larger development agenda; one that connects personal well-being with productivity, traditional knowledge with modern innovation, and India’s heritage with its economic future.

That is the enduring promise of Yoga for healthy ageing: a healthier society, a more competitive economy and a stronger India.