NITI Aayog released the report “Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global” on 2 July 2026, laying out an ambitious plan to transform Ayurveda from a product-export driven industry into a globally recognised healthcare system by 2047. Prepared in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the report proposes a three-pillar framework and a phased strategy aligned with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. It recommends creating a Global Ayurveda Register (GAR) and establishing a World Federation for Ayurveda and Yoga to drive international institutional integration.
What Is the Strategic Roadmap?
The “Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global” is a comprehensive report prepared by NITI Aayog’s Health Division in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). It was launched on 2 July 2026 by Dr. Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, alongside Prof. (Dr.) M. Srinivas, Member of NITI Aayog, and Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush.
The report draws on extensive stakeholder consultations, international benchmarking, and evidence-based analysis to assess Ayurveda’s current global footprint and identify both opportunities and bottlenecks in its expansion. It is built on a three-pillar framework:
- Availability: Ensuring a globally mobile workforce, expanding exports and manufacturing, promoting international research and development, and standardising Ayurveda education worldwide.
- Acceptability: Ensuring compliance with international regulations, fostering academic and industrial collaborations, integrating Ayurveda into insurance coverage, and enabling cultural adaptation and localisation.
- Propagation: Building a strategic brand presence, enhancing global visibility and promotions, boosting medical value travel, and securing representation in global health bodies.
The roadmap is aligned with the “One Earth, One Health” vision, which recognises that human health, animal health, and environmental health are interconnected. This framework positions Ayurveda as a contributor to holistic global well-being.
The Three Horizon Strategy
The roadmap is structured across three time-bound horizons, each with specific milestones:
| Horizon | Timeframe | Key Targets |
|---|---|---|
| Short Term | Up to 2029 | Form an inter-ministerial Mission Steering Group; publish an export-oriented Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia with internationally accepted quality standards; create a public registry of compliant manufacturing units and medicinal plants; enrol at least 10,000 Ayurveda practitioners in the Global Register; introduce competency-based international training modules; strengthen medical value travel with a more flexible Ayush Visa 2.0 |
| Medium Term | Up to 2035 | Establish 10 International Ayurveda Centres of Excellence across Europe, North America, the Gulf, Australia, and Southeast Asia; set up a World Federation of Ayurveda and Yoga; promote WHO-compliant manufacturing practices; secure mutual recognition of Ayurveda micro-credentials in at least 10 countries |
| Long Term | Up to 2047 | Formal recognition or integration of Ayurveda into at least 20 national health systems; Ayurvedic treatments for specified conditions to be covered under insurance in at least 10 countries; build a globally mobile professional workforce and fully integrated regulatory frameworks |
Key Recommendations
Global Ayurveda Register (GAR)
The report recommends creating a Global Ayurveda Register (GAR) under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM). The register would issue internationally recognised digital credentials aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) standards. It would support continuous professional development and enable qualified Ayurveda practitioners to work across countries, addressing the current disparity where 95% of India’s 355,000 trained Ayurveda practitioners remain within the country.
A Global Information Portal is also proposed as a single-window platform providing country-specific licensing norms, visa requirements, regulatory frameworks, and compliance guidelines for practitioners seeking overseas opportunities.
World Federation for Ayurveda and Yoga
The roadmap calls for establishing a World Federation for Ayurveda and Yoga to serve as a global coordinating body. This federation would facilitate international standard-setting, promote research collaborations, and advocate for Ayurveda’s inclusion in global health policy forums.
Quality and Standards Upgrades
To address the fact that most Ayurvedic products are currently sold overseas as dietary supplements rather than medicines due to regulatory barriers, the report recommends upgrading India’s manufacturing standards to WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) norms. It also proposes publishing an export-oriented Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia and creating annual global safety and evidence reports to build scientific credibility.
The report also recommends establishing an International Ayurveda Research Alliance, promoting global clinical trials, and expanding collaborations between industry and academia. A real-time Ayurveda trade dashboard is proposed to track export performance and market trends.
Education and Workforce Development
The roadmap recommends introducing Ayurveda electives in international medical schools through the Ayush Chair initiative and developing joint degree programmes with leading global medical universities. It also suggests negotiating Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) with partner countries and multilateral forums such as the G20, BRICS, and ASEAN to ease practitioner mobility.
Ayurveda’s Global Footprint Today
The report provides a detailed assessment of where Ayurveda currently stands internationally. India has over 355,000 trained Ayurveda practitioners, but 95% of them are based in the country. Ayurveda is formally recognised in nearly 30 countries through licensing arrangements, academic collaborations, or inclusion in national health policies. However, its international presence remains fragmented.
On the export front, Ayurvedic products now reach approximately 150 countries, with exports rising from USD 1.09 billion in 2014 to USD 2.16 billion in 2023. India’s traditional medicine market is estimated at USD 61 billion. A significant challenge is that most Ayurvedic products are sold abroad as dietary supplements rather than as registered medicines, limiting their market value and therapeutic credibility.
Ayurveda-related research is conducted in nearly 70 countries, supported by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. India has awarded scholarships to 277 international students from 32 countries and established Ayush academic chairs at universities abroad. The Ministry of Ayush, established on 9 November 2014, has documented over 4,000 Ayurveda research publications through a dedicated index.
Lessons from Traditional Chinese Medicine
The report draws a comparative analysis with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has achieved far greater global penetration. TCM’s success is attributed to mission-scale state support, deep research and development funding, and proactive global standards diplomacy. China has established over 30 overseas TCM centres, secured inclusion in multiple free trade agreements, and achieved recognition through ISO/TC 249 standards.
The report notes that Ayurveda can accelerate its global trajectory by adopting similar institutional mechanisms while building on its own strengths in wellness and preventive healthcare.
The Way Forward
The roadmap envisions a whole-of-government approach for implementation, requiring coordinated action across the Ministry of Ayush, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders. The proposed Mission Steering Group would oversee the implementation of milestones across the three horizons.
Branding and public outreach form a crucial part of the strategy. The report recommends country-specific information campaigns addressing concerns about safety, quality, heavy metals, and ingredient sourcing. It suggests organising Ayurveda Weeks through Indian embassies and partnering with universities and healthcare institutions worldwide.
The Ministry of Ayush is already working to expose modern medical practitioners to traditional systems through compulsory internship modules, helping bridge the gap between conventional and traditional medicine. Efforts to expand scientific publications, improve research quality, and adopt international standards are expected to address misconceptions and foster greater acceptance among healthcare professionals worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- NITI Aayog released the “Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global” on 2 July 2026, prepared in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
- The roadmap is built on a three-pillar framework of Availability, Acceptability, and Propagation, with a phased strategy extending up to 2047 aligned with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision.
- It recommends creating a Global Ayurveda Register (GAR) under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and establishing a World Federation for Ayurveda and Yoga.
- India has over 355,000 trained Ayurveda practitioners, of whom 95% are based in India; Ayurveda exports grew from USD 1.09 billion in 2014 to USD 2.16 billion in 2023, reaching 150 countries.
- The three horizons target short-term goals by 2029, medium-term objectives by 2035, and full global integration by 2047, including recognition in at least 20 national health systems.
- The Ministry of Ayush, established on 9 November 2014, has documented over 4,000 Ayurveda research publications and supports the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
