Full Breakdown
India's Senior Care Market: Growth Amid Demographic Shift
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Demographic Drivers and Market Size
The United Nations Population Fund projects that the global population aged 60 + will double to 2.1 billion between 2020 and 2050. India is expected to mirror this trend, with one in five Indians projected to be over 60 by 2050—about 21 % of the total population. A government think-tank, NITI Aayog, estimates the Indian senior-care industry at roughly $7 billion (?£5.56 billion) and anticipates rapid expansion. Real-estate firm Colliers International Group estimates current demand for organized senior living at around 2 million units, while only about 25 000 units are presently available.
02
Emerging Start-ups and Technology Solutions
Entrepreneurs are responding to the gap. Manasum Senior Living, co-founded by former tech executive Anantharam Varayur, operates about 900 units and plans to reach 10 000 units by 2030, including luxury projects. Other firms such as Emoha Elder Care Services, Care24 and KITES Senior Care are scaling end-to-end home-care services. Technology-focused start-ups like NoBlink.ai and Kubo Care deploy AI-enabled radar devices that monitor movement and trigger emergency alerts; NoBlink.ai sells devices for 13 500 rupees (?$141) with a monthly fee of about 50 rupees per room.
03
Challenges: Affordability, Workforce and Policy Gaps
Affordability remains a major barrier. Varayur notes that a one-bedroom-hall-kitchen unit in a senior-living project can cost 6 million rupees, a price out of reach for most elderly Indians. NITI Aayog reports that 78 % of India’s elderly lack a pension, and households with an older member have a lower per-capita income (?3 568 rupees) than those without (?4 098 rupees). A report by ratings firm CareEdge warns that insufficient training could create an acute shortage of skilled caregivers as demand rises.
04
Official Responses and Policy Outlook
NITI Aayog has highlighted the need for a national caregiving policy to build a professional, inclusive ecosystem. The agency also stresses the importance of a national caregiving policy to address workforce shortages and protect vulnerable seniors from fraud and exploitation. Kerala recently became the first Indian state to pass a landmark senior-citizen law guaranteeing affordable care, legal aid, digital inclusion and safe public spaces. Experts suggest that, while start-ups are expanding options, broader public-policy measures will be required to meet the scale of India’s ageing challenge.