Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today addressed the closing ceremony of the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, underscoring India’s growing leadership in advancing traditional medicine as an evidence-based, integrated and people-centred component of global health systems. The Prime Minister highlighted the summit as a powerful platform of international cooperation, marked by serious and constructive deliberations among global leaders, policymakers, scientists and practitioners from across the world.

The Prime Minister expressed pride that the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine has been established in Jamnagar, Gujarat, recalling that the responsibility was entrusted to India by the global community in 2022. He noted that the Centre has rapidly emerged as a global hub for collaboration, research, regulation and capacity building, reflecting growing international trust in India’s leadership. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to serve as a collaborative platform for strengthening global partnerships in traditional medicine.

Emphasising the summit theme, “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being”, the Prime Minister highlighted that balance is the foundation of holistic health, as articulated in Ayurveda. He pointed out that many modern health challenges—ranging from lifestyle disorders to chronic diseases—are rooted in various forms of imbalance, and restoring balance has become not just a global cause but a global urgency. He called for faster, coordinated action to address these challenges, especially in the context of rapidly changing lifestyles driven by technological transformation.

Highlighting the need to build trust and credibility, the Prime Minister stressed that traditional medicine must be supported by scientific validation, globally accepted regulatory standards and digital innovation. He noted that initiatives such as the Traditional Medicine Global Library, launched today, will ensure equitable global access to scientific data and policy resources. Reaffirming India’s commitment to global public health, he called upon the international community to advance traditional medicine with trust, respect and shared responsibility.

Referring to concerns often raised regarding the safety and evidence base of traditional medicine, the Prime Minister observed that India is consistently working to address these issues through research and validation. He cited Ashwagandha as an example of a time-tested herb that has gained global attention, particularly during the COVID-19 period, and noted that India is advancing its global acceptance through evidence-based research on safety, quality and usage. He added that India is committed to integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare, including initiatives to strengthen integrative cancer care and develop evidence-based guidelines, thereby expanding the role of traditional medicine beyond wellness into critical areas of public health.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for championing traditional medicine at the highest global level. He recalled the Prime Minister’s call for global collaboration during India’s G20 Presidency and noted that it generated an unprecedented international response. Dr Tedros stated that the Prime Minister’s vision of One Earth, One Health resonates deeply with the core principles of traditional medicine, emphasising balance, prevention and harmony with nature.

Dr Tedros lauded India for translating vision into action, describing the country as a global leader in moving traditional medicine from heritage to evidence-informed practice. He highlighted landmark initiatives such as the establishment of the Ministry of AYUSH and the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, noting that these efforts have helped integrate traditional medicine into health systems, research and policy, contributing to universal health coverage and sustainable development worldwide. He also welcomed the adoption of the Delhi Declaration as a major step forward. He stated that India has clearly demonstrated that traditional medicine is not a relic of the past, nor an alternative confined to the margins, but a living and evolving science that is increasingly central to modern healthcare systems.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda, appreciated the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister for consistently championing traditional medicine and positioning it as a credible and globally accepted healthcare system. He emphasised India’s commitment to advancing AYUSH through scientific, evidence-based approaches and integrating it with modern medicine to strengthen preventive, promotive and holistic healthcare.

Highlighting structural reforms, Shri Nadda noted that AYUSH has been successfully integrated into premier medical institutions, including AIIMS, through dedicated AYUSH blocks. This convergence, he said, has enabled healthcare systems to work in synergy rather than silos, leading to measurable public health outcomes. He expressed confidence that the outcomes of the summit would significantly strengthen health systems across the region and beyond.

Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, expressed gratitude to global leaders, WHO representatives, experts, industry stakeholders and Member States for their active participation. He stated that the summit marked a decisive shift in global health discourse, firmly positioning traditional medicine as an essential pillar of people-centred, preventive and holistic healthcare.

Highlighting India’s leadership, Shri Jadhav referred to the WHO–Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar as a historic milestone for global collaboration, research and innovation. He emphasised that AYUSH systems, rooted in holistic living, are increasingly supported by scientific validation, digital technologies and international cooperation. Calling integrative healthcare the future, he urged Member States to translate summit outcomes into concrete national actions in partnership with WHO.

During the event, the Prime Minister and the WHO Director-General, jointly inaugurated the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office building in New Delhi, which will also house the WHO India Country Office. The new complex is envisioned as a global hub for advancing research, strengthening regulatory cooperation and building capacity across the South-East Asia region, further deepening India’s partnership with the World Health Organization.

The Prime Minister also launched the Traditional Medicine Global Library, a landmark global platform designed to preserve and provide equitable access to scientific data, policy documents and validated knowledge related to traditional medicine. He additionally visited the Traditional Medicine Discovery Space, an exhibition showcasing the diversity, depth and contemporary relevance of traditional medicine knowledge systems from India and across the world, highlighting the convergence of ancient wisdom with modern innovation.

Recognising excellence in the promotion of yoga, the Prime Minister presented the Prime Minister’s Awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Promotion and Development of Yoga, honouring national and international individuals and organisations for their exemplary service. He further launched key AYUSH initiatives underscoring India’s leadership in the sector, including the My Ayush Integrated Services Portal (MAISP) as the master digital portal of the Ayush Grid, the Ayush Mark envisioned as a global benchmark for quality Ayush products and services, released a commemorative postal stamp on Ashwagandha, the WHO technical report on training in Yoga, and the book “From Roots to Global Reach: 11 Years of Transformation in Ayush.”

The Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine concluded with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, reaffirming traditional medicine as a shared biocultural heritage and committing Member States to strengthening evidence, regulation, integration and cross-sector collaboration in alignment with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. The summit marked a clear transition from dialogue to action, reinforcing India’s leadership and a shared global commitment to safe, effective, equitable and sustainable healthcare for all.

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