Shares of Fortis Healthcare jumped sharply today, rising 2.13% to ₹825.35 on the NSE after Malaysia’s IHH Healthcare publicly committed to increasing its shareholding in the Indian hospital chain to 50%, up from its current ~31% stake. The stock touched an intraday high of ₹827.35, opening at ₹804 against a previous close of ₹808.15, with robust volumes of over 7.11 lakh shares traded. The buy-to-sell ratio was overwhelmingly tilted at 76% buy quantity versus just 24% sell quantity — a clear reflection of the strong bullish conviction the market is placing on the news.
In an interview with CNBC-TV18, IHH’s Prem Nair confirmed its shareholding in Fortis Healthcare currently stands at approximately 31% and expressed a clear intent to grow that to 50%, underscoring the Malaysian healthcare giant’s long-term commitment to India as its primary growth market.
The announcement adds a fresh dimension to IHH’s India story, which has already been one of the most eventful corporate journeys in Indian healthcare. IHH acquired a 31.1% stake in Fortis Healthcare in 2018, outbidding rivals including the Manipal-TPG consortium, but was unable to proceed with its open offer for an additional 26% for nearly seven years due to prolonged legal disputes involving Daiichi Sankyo and the Singh Brothers — Fortis’s former promoters — which resulted in a Supreme Court stay on the open offer.
SEBI finally approved IHH’s long-delayed open offer in October 2025, allowing it to proceed with acquiring up to 26% additional shares from public shareholders. The mandatory open offer ran from October 20 to November 4, 2025, alongside a parallel bid for up to 26.11% stake in Fortis Malar Hospitals.
After completion of the open offer, IHH Group CEO Prem Kumar Nair said: “The completion of the Fortis open offer allows us to move decisively into the next phase of growth in India. This comes at a pivotal time as IHH undertakes a group-wide transformation to future-proof our business.”  IHH’s strategy, as stated by its Group Chief Corporate Officer Ashok Pandit, is to “progressively consolidate and increase our stake in Fortis as our platform for growth,” with the company targeting 2,000 additional beds by 2028 and operating margins of around 25%.
Today’s statement on CNBC-TV18 confirming the intent to reach 50% is the latest step in that consolidation journey, and markets have responded decisively. The stock’s 52-week range of ₹595.80 to ₹1,104.30 shows significant distance from its highs — leaving room for a meaningful re-rating if IHH’s increased ownership translates into the operational and strategic improvements the market has long anticipated from this partnership.