Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain | 27 December 2025
The India–GCC Trade Council announced the appointment of Shri Sundar Ramakrishnan as the Honorary Health Commissioner of the India–GCC Trade Council at a formal diplomatic ceremony held at Crowne Plaza Bahrain.
The appointment was jointly conferred by H.E. AbdulAziz bin Shahrani, Chairman of the Saudi–Bahrain Council, and H.E. Saad Al Dabbagh, Chairman of the India–GCC Trade Council – Qatar, in the presence of senior government representatives, healthcare leaders, and members of the diplomatic and business community. The evening also witnessed the honoring of the Asian Arab Health Awards to the achievers of the Health Industry and Medical Tourism.
Shri Sundar Ramakrishnan currently serves as the Managing Trustee of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore, and is widely recognized for his leadership in healthcare administration, medical innovation, and philanthropic initiatives. Under his stewardship, the institution has achieved national and international recognition for excellence in multi-specialty care, oncology, organ donation advocacy, and community healthcare outreach.
H.E. AbdulAziz bin Shahrani, Chairman, Saudi–Bahrain Council said “The appointment of Shri Sundar Ramakrishnan as Honorary Health Commissioner of the India–GCC Trade Council comes at a defining moment for regional healthcare cooperation. His proven leadership in hospital administration, medical innovation, and humanitarian healthcare initiatives reflects the values we seek to advance across the GCC. We are confident that his stewardship will accelerate structured medical tourism and institutional partnerships between India, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the wider Gulf region.”
Role and Strategic Mandate
As Honorary Health Commissioner, Shri Sundar Ramakrishnan will lead the India–GCC Trade Council’s healthcare engagement strategy, with a primary mandate to:
-Develop and launch a draft policy framework to promote medical tourism between India and GCC countries
-Facilitate hospital-to-hospital partnerships, specialist exchanges, and referral networks
-Support collaboration in advanced clinical care, medical technology, training, and capacity building-
-Advise on best practices in healthcare governance, innovation, and patient-centric service delivery
-Promote accessible, ethical, and affordable healthcare models aligned with GCC health priorities.
Regional Endorsement:
The appointment has been welcomed by leading hospitals and healthcare groups in Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, who have expressed strong interest in expanding collaboration with Indian healthcare institutions through structured institutional partnerships.
H.E. Saad Al Dabbagh Chairman, India–GCC Trade Council – Qatar said during the meeting “India’s healthcare ecosystem has emerged as a global benchmark for quality, affordability, and advanced medical care. Shri Sundar Ramakrishnan brings both strategic vision and hands-on experience to this important role. His appointment strengthens our mission to create a policy-driven, sustainable healthcare bridge between India and the GCC, benefiting patients, institutions, and economies across the region. We will hope to have a larger engagement in Qatar during the Ramadan period on 28th February with many stakeholders in Qatar”
In 2026, Shri Sundar Ramakrishnan will address a series of high-level healthcare and medical tourism forums across the GCC, including engagements in: Jeddah, Riyadh, Doha (Qatar), Kuwait City, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai.
These engagements will focus on building sustainable frameworks for cross-border healthcare cooperation, patient mobility, and long-term investment in medical infrastructure.
Strengthening India–GCC Healthcare Cooperation
The India–GCC Trade Council noted that this appointment marks a significant step toward strengthening bilateral and multilateral healthcare collaboration, reinforcing India’s role as a trusted healthcare partner for the GCC region. During the Event Dr. Asif Iqbal, President of the Indian Economic Trade Organization congratulated the Health Commissioner and hailed the initiatives between the GCC region and said “India’s medical tourism sector is rapidly growing, with the GCC region playing a significant role in this expansion. The Indian government is actively promoting medical tourism and has eased visa norms to attract more GCC investments. The ‘Heal in India’ initiative aims to position India as a global healthcare destination, with plans to expand beyond metro cities and encourage participation from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities”.
During the Conference, Awardees of the Asian Arab Health Tourism Included:
Dr. Ebtisam Al Dallal
CEO, Al Kindi Hospital
Dr. Wadi Yousuf Hasan
Leading Physician in Bahrain & Humanitarian Healthcare Advocate
Ramakrishna Vijayakumar
Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore, India
Dr. Alka Shrivastava
Chief Operating Officer, Ibn Al Nafis Hospital
Gloria Hemabindu
Co-Chair, India Commonwealth Trade Council
Mr. Sundar Ramakrishnan
Managing Trustee, Ramakrishna Hospital
Health Commissioner, India–GCC Council – Bahrain
H.E. Maram Anwar Al Saleh
Director, Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain
H.E. Ahlam Jenahi
Director, Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce
H.E. Saad Al Dabbagh
Chairman, Al Hafeet Group, Qatar
Hanan Madan
Dentist, Al Kindi Hospital
Bilal Mohammed
Bahrain Hospital Tourism in Malaysia
H.E. Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al Shahrani
Chairman, Saudi Southern Capital Group
The Asian Arab Health Tourism Conference and Awards reaffirmed Bahrain’s position as a regional hub for healthcare excellence and international cooperation. The participation of diplomatic missions, government authorities, healthcare institutions, and investors highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration in advancing sustainable, patient-centric healthcare and medical tourism across Asia, the Arab region, and beyond.
The event concluded with a shared commitment to deepen partnerships, promote innovation, and strengthen friendly ties—particularly between Bahrain and Serbia—through continued dialogue and joint initiatives in the healthcare and health tourism sectors.
Strengthening Ties: Bahrain and Serbia in Healthcare
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