India’s traditional systems of Traditional Medicine are increasingly gaining visibility and acceptance on international platforms through sustained policy initiatives, global partnerships, and institutional collaborations led by the Ministry of Ayush. These efforts are strengthening India’s position as a global leader in traditional, complementary and integrative healthcare systems.
International Cooperation in Ayush (IC) Scheme
The Ministry of Ayush has formulated a Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of International Cooperation in Ayush (IC Scheme) to enhance the global footprint of India’s traditional medicine systems. Under this scheme, the Ministry provides support to:
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Indian Ayush drug manufacturers and service providers to boost exports
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International promotion, development and global recognition of Ayush systems
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Stakeholder interaction and international market development
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Academic and research collaboration through Ayush Academic Chairs in foreign universities
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Organisation of international workshops, symposiums and training programmes
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Research, teaching and collaborative projects with reputed foreign institutions, international agencies and UN bodies, including the World Health Organization (WHO)
India–WHO Collaboration
A major milestone in globalising India’s traditional medicine systems has been achieved through extensive collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO–Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), Jamnagar
India signed an agreement with WHO to establish the WHO–Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) at Jamnagar, Gujarat. This global outposted centre for traditional medicine aims to:
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Support implementation of WHO’s Traditional Medicine Strategy
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Strengthen the role of traditional medicine in Universal Health Coverage
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Serve as a global knowledge hub for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM)
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Provide leadership on global health matters related to traditional medicine
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Ensure quality, safety, efficacy, accessibility and rational use of traditional medicine
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Develop global norms, standards, guidelines, tools and methodologies
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Establish a WHO Traditional Medicine Informatics Centre connecting global data banks, virtual libraries and research institutions
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Conduct capacity-building and training programmes through on-campus, residential and digital modes in partnership with WHO Academy and other global partners
Global Standardisation and Documentation
Significant progress has been made in standardising India’s traditional medicine systems at the global level:
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Benchmark documents for training and practice of Ayurveda and Unani were published in 2022 under a WHO collaboration agreement signed in 2016.
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WHO-published terminology documents for Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha were released to facilitate global understanding and integration of these systems.
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On 24 May 2025, the Ministry of Ayush and WHO signed an agreement to develop Traditional Medicine intervention categories and index under the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI), focusing on Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. This marks the creation of a dedicated Traditional Medicine module under ICHI, integrating traditional wisdom with international scientific classification standards.
Bilateral and Institutional Collaborations
To strengthen international outreach, the Ministry of Ayush has undertaken extensive global partnerships:
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25 country-to-country MoUs with foreign nations for cooperation in Traditional Medicinary and Homoeopathy
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15 MoUs with international institutions for establishing Ayush Academic Chairs abroad
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52 institute-to-institute MoUs for collaborative research and academic exchange
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Establishment of 43 Ayush Information Cells across 39 foreign countries to promote Ayush systems globally
Additionally, the Ministry offers International Ayush Fellowship and Scholarship Programmes to foreign nationals for pursuing Ayush education in recognised institutions in India.
India as a Global Hub of Traditional Medicine
Through structured policy support, global collaborations, WHO partnerships and academic outreach, India is positioning itself as a global hub for medicine, ensuring that ancient healthcare wisdom is integrated into modern global health systems with scientific credibility, quality assurance and international standards. These efforts are strengthening India’s position as a global leader in traditional, complementary and integrative healthcare systems.
This information was provided by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
