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India leads the Organization for Economic Co-operation andDevelopment (OECD) citizenship list as medical professionals sustain global health systems India is the leading source of new citizens and medical professionals for advanced economies, according to the International Migration Outlook 2025 released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).The report states that in 2023, approximately 225 000 Indian citizens acquired the nationality of an OECD member country.This figure is a record for India and is the highest number among all countries of origin, surpassing the Philippines (132 000) and China (92 400).This continues an upward trend, rising from 214 000 in 2022 and 200 000 in 2021.A major portion of this migration is by healthcare professionals.The report highlights that India is now the largest source of migrant doctors and the second-largest source of migrant nurses employed in OECD nations.Since the 2000-01 period, the number of Indian-born doctors working in these countries has increased by 76% to nearly 99 000, while the number of Indianborn nurses has increased by 435% to over 122 000.The UK, the USA, Canada, and Australia remain the top destinations.The reliance on Indian talent is particularly strong in the UK, where India-trained professionals comprise 23% of foreign-trained doctors and 18% of foreign-trained nurses.In the USA, India-trained doctors account for 8% of the foreigntrained workforce.The OECD attributes this surge to India's robust medical education system, English-language proficiency, and targeted recruitment drives by developed nations, which are facing structural healthcare shortages.The report also raises concerns about 'brain drain.' India appears on the WHO's Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, identifying it as a country facing its own critical workforce shortages.Despite the demand, Indian professionals still face barriers abroad.The report notes that licensing delays and opaque credentialing often hinder integration and force many highly qualified doctors and nurses into lower-skilled positions.The OECD concludes that while Indian professionals have become a vital lifeline for western health systems, there is an urgent need for balanced policies.These policies must support ethical international mobility without compromising India's ability to meet its domestic healthcare needs.