NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a high-level meeting to review the Ayush sector, emphasising its significant contributions, including its role in promoting preventive healthcare, boosting rural economies through medicinal plant cultivation, and enhancing India’s global standing in traditional medicine.
During the meeting, Modi was briefed on the sector’s remarkable economic growth, with the manufacturing market size surging from USD 2.85 billion in 2014 to USD 23 billion in 2023.
The prime minister was also informed about the introduction of the Ayush Visa, which has helped boost medical tourism by attracting international patients seeking holistic healthcare solutions.
In a comprehensive review of the sector’s progress, Modi underscored the need for strategic interventions to harness its full potential. “He highlighted the sector’s resilience and growth, noting its increasing acceptance worldwide and its potential to drive sustainable development and employment generation,” a statement said.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthening the Ayush sector through policy support, research, and innovation, the prime minister emphasised the need to promote holistic and integrated health, as well as standard protocols in Yoga, Naturopathy, and the Pharmacy sector.
He also stressed the importance of transparency as the foundation of all operations across the government. “Transparency must remain the bedrock of all operations within the government across sectors,” he said. “All stakeholders must uphold the highest standards of integrity, ensuring that their work is guided solely by the rule of law and for the public good.”
The Ayush sector has witnessed significant breakthroughs through collaborations with premier institutions at national and international levels. The Ayush Research Portal now hosts over 43,000 studies, with research publications in the last 10 years surpassing the total publications of the previous 60 years.
Modi was also briefed on the strengthening of infrastructure and the integration of artificial intelligence under the Ayush Grid. Digital technologies have been leveraged for the promotion of Yoga, with the iGot platform hosting more holistic Y-Break Yoga content.
A landmark achievement has been the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, reinforcing India’s leadership in traditional medicine.
Additionally, traditional medicine has been included in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11. The sector’s infrastructure and accessibility have expanded through the National Ayush Mission.
The prime minister was informed that more than 24.52 crore people participated in the 2024 International Day of Yoga (IDY), which has now become a global phenomenon. “The 10th Year of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 will be a significant milestone with more participation of people from across the globe,” the statement added.
The meeting was attended by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of State for Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav, Principal Secretary to the PM Dr P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary-2 to the PM Shaktikanta Das, Advisor to the PM Amit Khare, and other senior officials.