The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) under the Ministry of Ayush signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Delhi through its Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences (BCAS) on July 15, 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan in New Delhi. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav presided over the signing ceremony. The partnership aims to combine traditional herbal knowledge with modern scientific research for the sustainable utilization and conservation of India’s rich medicinal plant resources.
Scope of the Collaboration
The MoU establishes a framework for collaborative work across multiple areas. These include research on medicinal plants, product development, value addition, post-harvest technologies, sustainable packaging, technology transfer, and capacity building. The partnership also seeks to encourage the conservation and responsible use of India’s biodiversity while creating practical solutions for farmers and the herbal industry.
BCAS will contribute its expertise in food technology, nutraceuticals, post-harvest processing, and sustainable packaging. The college has developed patented technologies in these areas, which are expected to accelerate product commercialisation and encourage entrepreneurship in the medicinal plants sector.
NMPB Chief Executive Officer Mahesh Dadhich said that research-driven innovation can improve farmers’ incomes by promoting medicinal plant cultivation and by developing new eco-friendly packaging materials made from plant-based resources. He added that growing medicinal plants in suitable ecological zones, including riverbank areas, can strengthen biodiversity conservation while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.
About the National Medicinal Plants Board
The National Medicinal Plants Board was established on November 24, 2000 by the Government of India. It functions under the Ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and is headquartered in New Delhi. NMPB serves as the apex body for coordinating all matters relating to medicinal plants, including policy support, conservation, cultivation, trade, and export promotion.
NMPB currently implements a Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants across the country. The scheme supports activities such as Information Education and Communication (IEC) programmes, forward and backward linkages in the supply chain, in-situ and ex-situ conservation, livelihood linkages with forest management committees and self-help groups, research and development, and marketing of medicinal plant produce.
In the past, the government promoted medicinal plant cultivation through the National AYUSH Mission (NAM), a centrally sponsored scheme implemented from 2015-16 to 2020-21. Under the medicinal plants component of NAM, subsidies of 30%, 50%, and 75% of the cultivation cost were provided to farmers for growing 140 prioritised medicinal plant species through state implementing agencies.
Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences and University of Delhi
Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences (BCAS) is a constituent college of the University of Delhi, established in 1995. Located in Sector 2, Dwarka, New Delhi, the college is named after the 12th century Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya. It offers undergraduate programmes in various disciplines of applied sciences including biomedical science, food technology, polymer science, microbiology, and computer science. BCAS is accredited with NAAC A++ grade and was ranked 27th among colleges in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2024.
The University of Delhi was established in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly. It is a central university with the Vice President of India as its Chancellor and the President of India as its Visitor. DU has 91 affiliated colleges, 86 academic departments, and 16 faculties, making it one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the country. It is recognised as an Institute of Eminence by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and holds an NAAC A++ accreditation.
India’s Medicinal Plant Wealth
India is one of the world’s 17 mega-biodiverse countries, hosting about 7-8% of global species on just 2.4% of the world’s land area. Of the approximately 15,000 medicinal plant species found in India, around 8,000 species are used in traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy. According to NMPB estimates, about 1,178 species of medicinal plants are in trade, of which 242 species have annual consumption levels exceeding 100 metric tons.
India is the second largest exporter of medicinal plants in the world. The country’s AYUSH and herbal product exports were valued at approximately $689 million in 2024-25. The global herbal sector is estimated to be worth over $650 billion, indicating vast potential for growth.
However, more than 90% of Indian medicinal plant species are collected from natural forests, and many are threatened due to over-exploitation, unscientific harvesting, and habitat loss. This makes conservation and sustainable utilization a critical priority. The MoU between NMPB and DU directly addresses this challenge by promoting research-based solutions for both conservation and commercial value addition.
Significance of the Partnership
The MoU between NMPB and the University of Delhi holds significance across several dimensions.
Strengthening the science-policy interface: The partnership brings together a government regulatory and promotional body with a premier academic institution. This can help translate research findings into policy recommendations and practical applications more efficiently.
Boosting the herbal economy: By focusing on value addition, post-harvest technologies, and sustainable packaging, the collaboration aims to increase the commercial value of Indian medicinal plant products. This is expected to benefit farmers, entrepreneurs, and the broader herbal industry while enhancing India’s global competitiveness.
Promoting eco-friendly innovation: A notable feature of the MoU is the emphasis on developing sustainable packaging materials from plant-based resources as alternatives to conventional materials. This aligns with India’s broader commitments to environmental sustainability and plastic waste reduction.
Supporting Viksit Bharat 2047: Minister Prataprao Jadhav noted that the initiative supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of building a healthier, self-reliant, and developed India by 2047. The medicinal plants sector can create sustainable livelihoods in rural areas, promote health and wellness, and contribute to India’s bio-economy.
Key Takeaways
- The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) signed an MoU with the University of Delhi through Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences (BCAS) on July 15, 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi.
- NMPB was established in November 2000 under the Ministry of Ayush and is headquartered in New Delhi.
- The collaboration covers medicinal plant research, product development, value addition, post-harvest technologies, sustainable packaging, technology transfer, and capacity building.
- Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, established in 1995, is a constituent college of the University of Delhi and is accredited with NAAC A++ grade.
- The University of Delhi was established in 1922 and is recognised as an Institute of Eminence by the UGC.
- India has about 8,000 medicinal plant species in traditional use and is the second largest exporter of medicinal plants in the world.
