India Leads Global Dialogue on Herbal Medicine Regulation at WHO–IRCH Meet

India’s active participation reflects its leadership in promoting global standards for quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal medicines.

The 16th Annual Meeting of the World Health Organization – International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) is currently underway in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 14th to 16th October 2025, bringing together regulatory authorities, scientists, and policymakers from across the world to discuss harmonisation and cooperation in the regulation of herbal medicines.

At this prestigious global platform, India emerged as a key contributor, showcasing its leadership in traditional medicine governance, evidence-based regulation, and sustainable use of medicinal plants. The Indian delegation, led by Dr. Raghu Arackal, Advisor (Ayurveda) and Deputy Director General (I/c), Ministry of Ayush, played an active and influential role in shaping deliberations across multiple technical sessions.

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India’s Delegation Highlights National Regulatory Achievements

Representing the Ministry of Ayush, the Indian team included senior experts and regulatory leaders such as:

• Dr. Raghu Arackal, Advisor (Ayurveda) and Deputy Director General (I/c), Ministry of Ayush

• Dr. Raman Mohan Singh, Director, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy (PCIM&H)

• Dr. Mahesh Dadhich, CEO, National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)

Together, they showcased India’s comprehensive and evolving approach to standardisation, quality assurance, and scientific validation in traditional medicine systems, particularly Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy.

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Workshop Reports Presented by India at WHO–IRCH

India’s contributions were central to the technical discussions held during the meeting.

• Dr. Raghu Arackal presented the Workshop Report on “Efficacy and Intended Use of Herbal Medicines (Working Group-3)”, outlining India’s evidence-based policy framework and the integration of traditional knowledge with modern scientific research. He emphasized the need for scientific validation of efficacy claims, harmonized labeling, and ethical marketing practices for herbal formulations.

• Dr. Raman Mohan Singh presented the Workshop Report on “Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines (Working Group-1)” and delivered a detailed presentation titled “Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines – Indian Perspective.” His session covered India’s regulatory evolution under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the role of PCIM&H in developing monographs and pharmacopeial standards, and the adoption of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in the herbal sector.

Both these workshops were jointly organized by the WHO and the Ministry of Ayush, with technical support from PCIM&H, and were held from 6th to 8th August 2025 in Ghaziabad, India. The outcomes served as key preparatory inputs for the global WHO–IRCH meeting, setting the stage for dialogue on international standardization and evidence-based regulation of herbal medicines.

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Focus on Sustainability and Quality of Medicinal Plants

A special session on “Quality Control, Standardization and Sustainability of Herbal Medicines” featured contributions from Dr. Mahesh Dadhich, CEO, NMPB, and Dr. Singh. Dr. Dadhich highlighted India’s initiatives for the sustainable cultivation, harvesting, and trade of medicinal plants under programs such as the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) and NMPB’s Medicinal Plants Development Schemes.

He emphasized the importance of traceability systems, conservation strategies, and collaborative frameworks to ensure long-term availability of high-quality plant raw materials while safeguarding biodiversity. “Sustainability and quality are the twin pillars of trust in herbal medicine,” Dr. Dadhich stated, underlining the need for international collaboration to harmonize quality control standards.

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India’s Leadership in Global Herbal Medicine Governance

India’s active participation reflects its leadership in promoting global standards for quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal medicines. The Ministry of Ayush, through its key institutions—PCIM&H, NMPB, and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS)—has been at the forefront of developing comprehensive regulatory mechanisms for traditional and natural product-based healthcare.

In recent years, India has implemented several initiatives to align its national standards with international best practices, including:

• Development of Pharmacopeial Monographs for medicinal plants and formulations.

• Establishment of the Ayush Grid for digital data integration and regulatory transparency.

• Launch of the Ayush Quality Mark to ensure consumer confidence in herbal products.

• Strengthening of the Ayush Export Promotion Council (Ayushexcil) to promote global trade of standardized and certified herbal products.

These efforts align with India’s broader goal of making Ayush systems globally accepted, evidence-based, and economically viable.

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Advancing Global Cooperation Through WHO–IRCH

The WHO–IRCH network, established in 2006, serves as a global platform for regulatory cooperation among countries to facilitate safe, effective, and quality-assured use of herbal medicines. Member countries exchange data, regulatory practices, and pharmacovigilance information to ensure consumer protection and promote evidence-based use of herbal remedies.

At the 16th Annual Meeting, participants deliberated on:

• Global harmonization of regulatory frameworks for herbal products.

• Quality assurance protocols and international labeling standards.

• Pharmacovigilance mechanisms for traditional medicine.

• Capacity building among national regulatory authorities.

India’s contributions at the meeting were widely acknowledged for providing practical and scalable models that other countries could adopt in developing their herbal medicine policies.

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Reinforcing India’s Global Commitment to Traditional Medicine

India’s engagement in WHO–IRCH 2025 underscores its commitment to strengthening international cooperation and advancing global benchmarks in herbal medicine regulation. The country’s participation is consistent with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of positioning India as a global leader in traditional and integrative healthcare through the Ayushman Bharat and Heal in India initiatives.

By promoting science-backed, sustainable, and harmonized regulatory practices, India continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global healthcare systems based on traditional wisdom and modern science.

As Dr. Raghu Arackal remarked during the meeting, “India’s strength lies in its millennia-old knowledge systems, but our credibility in the global arena depends on evidence, transparency, and cooperation.”

The WHO–IRCH 2025 meeting thus not only reaffirms India’s leadership in traditional medicine but also strengthens global efforts toward ensuring safe, effective, and sustainable herbal healthcare for all.