Key Details
The Annual Report shows that Ayush is expanding through simultaneous reforms in healthcare delivery, education, regulation, research, digital infrastructure and international cooperation, positioning traditional medicine as both a public health system and a growing economic sector.
Theme | Key Finding | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
Economic Contribution | Ayush economy reached USD 43 billion, contributing 1.1% of GDP. | Demonstrates growing economic significance alongside healthcare delivery. |
Global Leadership | India hosted the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, resulting in the Delhi Declaration. | Positions India as a leader in global traditional medicine governance. |
Healthcare Integration | Expansion of Ayush Health and Wellness Centres and integrated public health services. | Strengthens access to preventive and holistic healthcare. |
Digital Transformation | Launch of MAISP and e-CHARAK platforms. | Improves service delivery and medicinal plant value chains. |
Education & Regulation | NCISM and NCH introduced competency-based curricula, NEXT and NTET. | Strengthens quality assurance and professional standards. |
Research & Innovation | Expanded research collaborations and evidence-generation initiatives. | Improves scientific credibility and clinical acceptance. |
Medicinal Plants | Continued support for cultivation, conservation and market linkages. | Strengthens farmer incomes and herbal industry supply chains. |
Summary
Ayush Is Evolving into an Institutional Ecosystem
The Annual Report 2024–25 shows that India’s Ayush sector is evolving beyond traditional systems of medicine into an integrated ecosystem spanning healthcare delivery, medical education, scientific research, digital governance, medicinal plant value chains and international cooperation. While the sector now contributes an estimated USD 43 billion, or around 1.1% of India’s GDP, the report suggests that sustaining this growth will depend increasingly on institutional capacity, regulatory credibility and evidence generation, rather than traditional knowledge alone.
This shift reflects a broader transition from programme expansion towards building the institutions needed to support Ayush as both a healthcare system and an economic sector.
Institutional Reform Is Driving Long-Term Growth
The report highlights a series of reforms designed to strengthen the foundations of the Ayush ecosystem. Competency-based curricula, the introduction of the National Exit Test (NEXT) and National Teachers Eligibility Test (NTET), stronger oversight through the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH), and continued expansion of research institutions collectively aim to improve professional standards, quality assurance and scientific credibility.
At the same time, digital platforms such as the My Ayush Integrated Services Portal (MAISP) and e-CHARAK are modernising healthcare delivery, improving access to services and strengthening medicinal plant supply chains through better market information and digital connectivity.
India Is Expanding Its Global Leadership in Traditional Medicine
The report also highlights India’s growing role in shaping international cooperation on traditional medicine. Hosting the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, adoption of the Delhi Declaration, a new US$3 million contribution agreement with WHO, and expanded bilateral cooperation with countries including Indonesia, Ghana and Tanzania signal an effort to position Ayush not only as a domestic healthcare system but also as an area of global health diplomacy, international standards-setting and technical cooperation.
Together with continued expansion of Ayush Health and Wellness Centres, medicinal plant cultivation and research collaborations, these initiatives suggest that the long-term success of Ayush will increasingly depend on combining scientific evidence, institutional quality and international partnerships with India’s traditional knowledge systems.
What is the Ayush Ecosystem?
The Ayush ecosystem comprises the institutions, policies and industries that support India’s traditional systems of medicine. It includes healthcare providers, medical education, professional regulation, research institutions, medicinal plant cultivation, pharmaceutical manufacturing, digital platforms, wellness services and international partnerships, working together to improve healthcare delivery while supporting economic growth, innovation and global cooperation.
Policy Relevance
The report indicates that the future growth of Ayush will depend increasingly on strong institutions, scientific evidence and regulatory credibility, rather than expansion of healthcare programmes alone.
The sector’s estimated contribution of USD 43 billion (around 1.1% of GDP) highlights the need to integrate Ayush more closely with industrial policy, exports, innovation, bioeconomy strategies and workforce development.
Competency-based medical education, NEXT, NTET and strengthened regulatory oversight represent an important shift towards nationally standardised professional quality, requiring sustained investment in faculty development, accreditation and institutional capacity.
Digital platforms such as MAISP and e-CHARAK demonstrate how digital public infrastructure can strengthen healthcare delivery, medicinal plant value chains and market transparency across the Ayush ecosystem.
India’s leadership through the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine and the Delhi Declarationcreates opportunities to shape international standards, expand health diplomacy and strengthen the global recognition of Indian systems of medicine.
Continued integration of research, education, healthcare delivery and medicinal plant value chains will be critical for translating Ayush’s growing economic footprint into improved health outcomes, innovation and long-term global competitiveness.
Follow the Full Release Here: Ministry of Ayush Annual Report 2024–25