Executive Summary
The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) and the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 12, 2026, to advance the "One Herb, One Standard" initiative. This three-year framework aims to harmonize scientific standards for medicinal plants across traditional Indian medicine systems, building upon 50 monographs developed in the first phase. The initiative seeks to enhance the quality, credibility, and global acceptance of Indian traditional medicines while supporting the "Ease of Doing Business."
Key Points / Main Content
Inter-Ministerial Collaboration
The MoU signifies a partnership between the Ministry of Ayush (represented by PCIM&H) and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (represented by IPC).
The renewed agreement extends the collaboration for a further period of three years.
Standardization and Harmonization
The initiative establishes common, clear, and reliable scientific standards for the same medicinal plant used across different systems, including Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, and Homoeopathy.
The objective is to develop uniform and scientifically robust quality standards for single drugs of plant origin.
Harmonization is intended to reduce ambiguity among stakeholders and establish a coordinated framework for standardization.
Global Benchmarking and Quality Assurance
Monographs will integrate Indian standards with international quality requirements.
Strengthening standards in line with global benchmarks aims to enhance the reliability and international acceptance of Indian medicinal products.
The initiative focuses on ensuring the purity and quality of medicines through scientifically developed standards.
Regulatory and Economic Impact
The framework aims to streamline processes for manufacturers, exporters, and testing laboratories to improve the "Ease of Doing Business."
Coordinated efforts between ministries are designed to strengthen India’s position as a global standard-setter in medicinal plants and traditional medicines.
The initiative supports the protection of India’s biodiversity and traditional medicinal heritage.
Impact Analysis
PCIM&H and IPC (Regulatory Bodies)Impact
These institutions are designated as the lead scientific and standard-setting bodies responsible for botanical standardization.
Action Required
Coordinate scientific expertise to develop and publish harmonized monographs over the three-year term.
Manufacturers and ExportersImpact
They will benefit from more streamlined, transparent, and effective processes, facilitating wider international market acceptance of their products.
Action Required
Adopt the harmonized standards and monographs in their manufacturing and quality control processes to ensure compliance with global benchmarks.
Testing Laboratories and Regulatory InstitutionsImpact
The availability of clear, common quality standards will reduce confusion and improve the effectiveness of testing and regulatory oversight.
Action Required
Update testing protocols and regulatory frameworks to align with the "One Herb, One Standard" monographs.
Traditional Medicine Practitioners (Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, Homoeopathy)Impact
The initiative strengthens the scientific credibility and quality assurance of the medicinal plants used within these traditional systems.
Action Required
Utilize the harmonized standards to ensure the quality and purity of plant-based medicines used in their respective practices.
Key Entities Referenced
“One Herb, One Standard” initiative: A government program aimed at establishing harmonized scientific standards for medicinal plants used across various traditional and modern systems of medicine.
Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H): The commission under the Ministry of Ayush responsible for developing standards and monographs for traditional Indian systems of medicine.
Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC): An autonomous institution under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare that sets standards for all drugs manufactured and consumed in India.
Ministry of Ayush: The primary ministry overseeing the development and standardization of traditional medicine systems including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy.
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare: The ministry collaborating through the IPC to synchronize medicinal plant standards with global benchmarks and modern pharmaceutical requirements.
AYUSH
“One Herb, One Standard” to Strengthen Quality
and Credibility of Traditional Medicines: Union
Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav
PCIM&H and IPC Renew MoU to Advance ‘One Herb, One
Standard’ Initiative
Inter-Ministerial Partnership to Strengthen Harmonised
Scientific Standards for Medicinal Plants
Renewed Three-Year Framework Builds on 50 monographs
Developed in First Phase
The MoU will Establish a Stronger, Coordinated Framework
for Standardisation of Medicinal Plants: Shri Prataprao
Jadhav
प्रव तथ: 12 AUG 2026 4:13PM by PIB Delhi
The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), Ministry of Ayush,
and the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, renewed their
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of the “One Herb, One Standard” initiative
today.
The MoU was exchanged by Dr. Kousthubha Upadhyaya, Director I/c, PCIM&H, and Dr. V. Kalaiselvan,
Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC, in the august presence of Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent
Charge), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao
Ganpatrao Jadhav, and Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, at Kartavya Bhavan, New
Delhi.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav said that India’s traditional systems of
medicine—Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani and Homoeopathy—are an integral part of the
country’s rich knowledge traditions and medicinal plant heritage. He emphasised that ensuring the quality,
purity and standardisation of medicines and medicinal plants through scientifically developed standards is
essential for strengthening the quality and credibility of traditional medicines.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav highlighted the significance of the “One Herb, One Standard” approach, which
seeks to establish a common, clear, scientific and reliable standard for the same medicinal plant used
across different systems of medicine. He said that harmonised standards would help address potentialconfusion among stakeholders and establish a stronger and coordinated framework for the standardisation
of medicinal plants.
Shri Jadhav further said that the monographs developed under the collaboration would take into
consideration Indian standards as well as international quality requirements. He noted that strengthening
Indian standards in line with global benchmarks would enhance the quality and reliability of Indian
medicinal plants and products and contribute to their wider international acceptance. He also highlighted
that common and clear quality standards would contribute to Ease of Doing Business by making processes
more streamlined, transparent and effective for manufacturers, exporters, testing laboratories, regulatory
institutions and other stakeholders.
Union Minister Shri Jadhav congratulated the leadership, scientists and officials of PCIM&H and IPC for
their continued efforts towards the initiative and expressed confidence that the renewed three-year MoU
would give fresh momentum to the standardisation of medicinal plants. He said that the inter-ministerial
cooperation demonstrates how coordinated efforts among Ministries and institutions can strengthen the
standardisation of medicinal plants and traditional medicines. He added that the initiative would contribute
to protecting India’s rich biodiversity and traditional medicine heritage, while strengthening India’s
position as a trusted global standard-setter in medicinal plants, traditional medicines and their quality
standards.
The renewed MoU will continue the inter-ministerial cooperation for a further period of three years, with
the objective of developing uniform, reliable and scientifically robust quality standards for single drugs of
plant origin used across Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani and Homoeopathy systems of medicine.
Under the renewed partnership, the monographs will take into account Indian standards as well as
international quality requirements, strengthening Indian standards in line with global benchmarks and
enhancing the quality and credibility of Indian medicinal plants and products in international markets.
The cooperation builds upon the MoU initiated in 2022 to promote and facilitate the “One Herb, One
Standard” concept, under which 50 monographs of medicinal plants were successfully developed during
the first phase. The renewed partnership will further expand this framework by harmonising standards for
the same medicinal plant across different traditional systems of medicine, thereby reducing ambiguity
among stakeholders and establishing a stronger and more coordinated standardisation mechanism. By
bringing together the scientific and standard-setting expertise of PCIM&H and IPC, the initiative will
strengthen quality assurance, support ease of doing business and contribute to safeguarding India’s rich
biodiversity and traditional medicinal heritage, while enhancing India’s position in global pharmaceutical
standardisation.
The renewal of the MoU reaffirms the continued commitment of both institutions towards advancing
scientific excellence, quality, reliability and global acceptance of India’s traditional systems of medicine
through a harmonised approach to botanical standardisation. The partnership is expected to further
strengthen India’s position as a trusted global standard-setter for medicinal plants, traditional medicines
and their quality standards.***
SR/SV/SG
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