 "Diagnostic labs, which began increasing prices since last year after a long halt due to competition from online players, have seen improvement in margins as a result.")
India’s diagnostics sector is seeing a marked shift toward preventive and precision-led testing, with consumers increasingly opting for proactive health checks over symptom-driven diagnostics, according to year-end data released by Agilus Diagnostics.
Preventive health testing grew 30 per cent year-on-year (Y-O-Y) in 2025, indicating rising awareness around early monitoring of metabolic health, cardiovascular risk and nutritional status. The trend is most visible among urban populations, particularly younger adults in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Lucknow and Chandigarh.
Lifestyle and gut health diagnostics recorded even faster growth, with testing volumes rising 47 per cent year-to-date, compared with 31 per cent growth last year. Tests related to microbiome analysis, gastrointestinal health, pancreatic function and food intolerance are seeing higher adoption, driven by changing dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles and increased clinical recommendations.
Industry experts note that these tests are increasingly being used to detect chronic and underlying health conditions at an earlier stage, making routine screening more common.
Precision oncology diagnostics also showed steady growth during the year. Oncogenomics testing volumes rose 16 per cent year-to-date, supported by improvements in turnaround times. Genomic results for blood cancers are now available within three days, while comprehensive profiling for solid tumours is being delivered within five days. Faster reporting timelines are enabling clinicians to take quicker treatment decisions based on molecular-level insights.
The shift reflects broader changes in how individuals engage with healthcare placing greater emphasis on prevention, risk assessment and data-driven decision-making.
