**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Ministry of Ayush's initiatives to promote traditional Indian medicine (AYUSH) on the global stage, through the IC Scheme, which supports AYUSH manufacturers and service providers. The Ministry has developed collaborations with WHO to support nations in developing policies & action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine. An agreement was signed between the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 24, 2025 towards developing Traditional Medicine intervention categories and index for the International Classification of Health.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **IC Scheme (International Co-operation in Ayush Scheme):**
* Supports Indian AYUSH drug manufacturers and service providers.
* Facilitates international promotion, development, and recognition of AYUSH systems.
* Fosters stakeholder interaction and market development at an international level.
* Promotes academics and research through AYUSH Academic Chairs in foreign countries.
* Holds training workshops/symposiums to strengthen awareness and interest in AYUSH.
* Sponsors AYUSH research and development/teaching and other collaborations.
* **Collaboration with WHO:**
* Agreement to establish WHO-Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat to implement WHO's traditional medicine strategy (2014-23).
* GTMC aims to support nations in developing policies & action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine.
* India positioning itself as a global leader through initiatives like WHO-GTMC.
* GTMC objectives include:
* Positioning Traditional Medicine (TM) systems across the globe.
* Providing leadership on global health matters pertaining to traditional medicine.
* Ensuring quality, safety, efficacy, accessibility, and rational use of TM.
* Developing norms, standards, and guidelines.
* Developing specific capacity building and training programs.
* Benchmark document for training and practice of Ayurveda & Unani published in 2022, as an outcome of a Project Collaboration Agreement signed with WHO on May 13th, 2016.
* Terminology document published by WHO in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha as a outcome of Project Collaboration Agreement on integration of traditional and complementary medicine.
* An agreement was signed between the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 24, 2025 towards developing Traditional Medicine intervention categories and index for the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).
* **International Agreements and Initiatives:**
* 25 Country to Country MoUs signed for cooperation in Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy.
* 15 MoUs with International Institutes for setting up AYUSH Academic Chairs.
* 52 Institute to Institute level MoUs with foreign institutes for collaborative research.
* 43 Ayush Information Cells established in 39 foreign nations for promotion.
* Scholarships offered to foreign nationals for studying AYUSH courses in India.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian AYUSH Drug Manufacturers / AYUSH Service Providers**
* **Impact:** Potential for increased exports and market development at the international level.
* **Action Required:** Leverage the support provided by the IC Scheme to expand their reach and offerings globally.
**International Community (Foreign Nations, Institutes, Students)**
* **Impact:** Increased access to and awareness of AYUSH systems of medicine, potential for collaboration and research opportunities.
* **Action Required:** Explore opportunities for partnerships, academic collaborations, and scholarship programs offered by the Ministry of Ayush.
**World Health Organization (WHO)**
* **Impact:** Strengthened collaboration in promoting and researching traditional medicine, supporting the implementation of WHO's traditional medicine strategy.
* **Action Required:** Continue collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush to establish GTMC and implement joint initiatives for the global promotion of traditional medicine.
**Ministry of Ayush**
* **Impact:** Expanded global presence and recognition of AYUSH systems, achievement of objectives related to international cooperation and promotion.
* **Action Required:** Continue implementing the IC Scheme, fostering collaborations with WHO and other international partners, and monitoring the impact of these initiatives.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of AYUSH: The Indian government ministry responsible for developing and promoting AYUSH systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy).
WHO-Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC): A center established in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in partnership with the WHO, to provide support to implement WHO's traditional medicine strategy and to support nations in developing policies & action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine.
World Health Organization (WHO): An international organization that the Ministry of Ayush collaborates with on various traditional medicine initiatives, including the GTMC and the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).
Central Sector Scheme for the Promotion of International Co-operation in Ayush (IC Scheme): A scheme under which the Ministry of Ayush supports the export of Ayush products & services and facilitates international promotion and research.
International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI): A system that the Ministry of Ayush and WHO are collaborating on to develop Traditional Medicine intervention categories and an index for.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AYUSH
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 2100
TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/12/2025
“AYUSH Research in Global Forum”
2100 Shri Radheshyam Rathiya:
Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar:
Shri Chavda Vinod Lakhamshi:
Shri Bharatsinhji Shankarji Dabhi:
Shri Vijay Kumar Dubey:
Will the Minister of Ayush be pleased to state:
(a) the details of India's participation in International forums related to traditional medicine
and holistic health;
(b) the objectives behind presenting AYUSH-based research in global forums:
(c) whether any proposals for joint research, clinical observation or capacity building have
been presented in said forums and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the manner in which the Government is exploring cultural and inter-traditional
partnerships for providing AYUSH services, safety monitoring and publishing scientific
evidence?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (d) The Ministry is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for the Promotion of
International Co-operation in Ayush (IC Scheme) under which the Ministry of Ayush
provides support to Indian Ayush drug Manufacturers/ Ayush Service providers to give boost
to the export of Ayush products & services; facilitates the International promotion,
development and recognition of Ayush system of medicine; foster interaction of stakeholders
and market development of Ayush at international level; promote academics and research
through the establishment of Ayush Academic Chairs in foreign countries and holding
training workshop/symposiums for promoting and strengthening awareness and interest about
Ayush Systems of Medicine at international level. Ministry of Ayush through IC Scheme also
sponsors Ayush research & development/ teaching and other collaborations with reputedinstitutions/ universities in foreign countries; International agencies and UN bodies like
(World Health Organization) WHO.
The Ministry of Ayush has following collaboration with WHO:-
Signed an agreement with WHO to establish WHO-Global Traditional Medicine
Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. This Centre aims to provide support to
implement WHO's traditional medicine strategy (2014-23) and to support nations in
developing policies & action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine as
part of their journey to universal health coverage. India is positioning itself as a
global leader in traditional medicine through initiatives like the WHO-GTMC. This
center, established in partnership with the World Health Organization, is a key step in
promoting and researching traditional medicine. It serves as a key knowledge hub for
evidence-based Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) on a
global scale. This is the global out posted Centre (Office) for traditional medicine
across the world with the following key objectives:
To position Traditional Medicine (TM) systems across the globe.
To provide leadership on global health matters pertaining to traditional
medicine.
To ensure quality, safety and efficacy, accessibility and rational use of
traditional medicine.
To develop norms, standards, and guidelines in relevant technical areas, tools
and methodologies, for collecting data undertaking analytics, and assessing
impact. Envisage WHO Traditional Medicine (TM) Informatics Centre creating
a collaborative of existing Traditional Medicine (TM) Data Banks, virtual
libraries, and academic and research institutes.
To develop specific capacity building and training programmes in the areas of
relevance to the objectives and conduct training programmes in campus,
residential, or web-based, and through partnerships with the WHO Academy
and other strategic partners.
Benchmark document for training and practice of Ayurveda & Unani published in
2022 as an outcome of Project Collaboration Agreement signed with WHO on 13th
May, 2016. Terminology document published by WHO in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha as a
outcome of Project Collaboration Agreement on integration of traditional and
complementary medicine into health care system between WHO and Ministry of
Ayush.
An agreement was signed between the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health
Organization (WHO) on May 24, 2025 towards developing Traditional Medicine
intervention categories and index for the International Classification of Health
Interventions (ICHI), with a holistic approach and focus on Traditional Medicine
systems of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The agreement marks the beginning of
work on a dedicated Traditional Medicine module under the International
Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI). This development aligns with India’s
vision of bringing its rich heritage of traditional wisdom into the global healthcare
mainstream, backed by scientific classification and international standards.
In addition, the Ministry of Ayush has signed 25 Country to Country MoUs for
Cooperation in field of Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy with foreign nations,
15 MoUs with International Institutes for setting up of AYUSH Academic Chairs in
foreign nations, 52 Institute to Institute level MoUs with foreign institutes for
undertaking Collaborative Research / Academic collaboration and supported the
establishment of 43 Ayush Information Cells in 39 foreign nations for propagation
and promotion of Ayush at global stage. Further, Ministry of Ayush offers
scholarships to foreign nationals for studying Ayush courses in recognized Ayush
institutions in India under International Ayush Fellowship/Scholarship Program.
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