Patricia Hewitt, the former health secretary, said trusts were already in talks about going into business with healthcare providers in India, using the expertise in the NHS to open up profitable businesses abroad, where health services are in demand.

She said she hoped the lucrative contracts could close the NHS’ funding gap.

But Dr Kailash Chand, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association, said he thought the NHS should not be going into business with companies in India, and feared the contracts could end up going a stage further.

He told the Daily Mirror: “If trusts do not have enough money to treat patients in Britain, they should be getting help from the Government. I am extremely concerned that the next step will be patients being flown to India for treatment because these trusts think that it could save them money.”

Dr Chand also said he was concerned sending doctors abroad could put patients at risk, by taking away staff from the NHS.

The Department of Health denied the claim, and said patients would not be flown to India for treatment.

Ms Hewitt, who is chairwoman of the UK India Business Council, said the British healthcare system was well respected in India, paving the way for lucrative contracts to be agreed between the countries.

She said between 10 and 20 NHS trusts were in talks with healthcare providers in India already and she expected up to 12 to have signed agreements by 2015.

“Our ambition is to get as many [NHS trusts, health companies and charities] there as we can,” she told the Health Service Journal.

“I would certainly hope by 2015 we will be able to say… here is what they are doing and selling and here are the benefits that are accruing both to Britain and to India.”

The Government is said to be encouraging UK businesses to set up partnerships abroad.Healthcare UK was set up last year to link UK health providers with clients overseas, as a way to make cash from the well-known NHS brand.

So far plans have been agreed for King’s Health Partners, a partnership that includes King’s College London and three London NHS trusts, to set up clinics in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.A spokeswoman from the Department of Health said: “We have no intention to send NHS patients to India for treatment.

“NHS patients will always come first, but we should help and support the health service to compete internationally for the benefit of its patients in England.

“Under no circumstances will the quality of NHS services at home be compromised by the sharing of NHS expertise abroad.”