The Ministry of Ayush has ramped up efforts to enhance the quality, safety, and global stature of traditional Indian medicine systems through a series of robust regulatory, research, and promotional initiatives.
To standardize the production and distribution of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Unani, and Homoeopathy medicines, the government mandates compliance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, including Good Manufacturing Practices listed under Schedule T and M-I. Drug testing laboratories must adhere to rules ensuring assessment of identity, purity, strength, and safety. The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy continues to set rigorous standards for formulations and drug quality control, with adherence being mandatory for all licensed manufacturers.
A nationwide pharmacovigilance network supports monitoring of adverse drug reactions, and drug-testing infrastructure has been elevated under the Rs 5 billion Ayush Oushadhi Gunavatta evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana running till 2026. Regulatory enforcement has also been bolstered through the Ayush vertical of CDSCO and the issuance of WHO Certificates of Pharmaceutical Product for Ayush medicines that meet requisite standards. The Quality Council of India awards Ayush mark certification to products that pass third-party evaluations aligned with national and international benchmarks.
The ministry has deepened its investment in scientific research via the AYURGYAN Scheme launched in 2021-22, which includes components for capacity building, research, and Ayurveda biology. Financial assistance under this scheme supports clinical, pharmaceutical, literary, and medicinal plant research across eligible institutions. Apex bodies like CCRAS, CCRUM, CCRH, CCRS and CCRYN have been tasked with leading India’s research front through surveys, documentation, pharmacological studies and development of standard formulations, alongside serving underserved tribal communities.
Mass awareness campaigns under the Central Sector IEC Scheme are underway to expand outreach and promote understanding of Ayush medicine through multimedia and print efforts, health fairs, Yoga festivals, and exhibitions held nationally and regionally. The inclusion of traditional medicine in the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases and initiatives like the Ayush Export Promotion Council signal growing international recognition.
On the global stage, the ministry has signed 25 bilateral agreements and 15 MoUs with international institutions to establish academic chairs abroad. It supports 43 Ayush Information Cells operating in 39 countries and backs over 50 academic collaborations for joint research. The ministry is also offering scholarships to foreign nationals under fellowship programs to study Ayush medicine in India.
These initiatives reflect India’s strategic push to position Ayush systems as credible, research-backed, and globally integrated frameworks of traditional healthcare.
