As Yoga and Ayurveda become part of India’s global health diplomacy, experts press for credible standards

India's yoga and Ayurveda practices are becoming integral to the country's global health and diplomatic strategies. The Indian government is seeking to expand their presence through medical tourism, international education, practitioner mobility, and trade agreements. Notably, the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) contain provisions on health-related services and traditional medicine.

These agreements aim to ease licensing, develop standards, and facilitate the mobility of Ayurvedic and yoga practitioners. The India-European Union (EU) FTA even allows Ayurvedic practitioners to use their Indian qualifications in EU countries without regulatory frameworks, and provides for Ayurvedic wellness centres and clinics.

However, the diplomatic push raises questions about the practical implications of formal recognition and market access. Experts emphasize the need for credible standards, evidence, regulation, practitioner quality, and patient safety for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Naturopathy, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy) to establish itself in regulated global healthcare markets.

While the government reports a rise in foreign medical arrivals, the data provided does not specifically refer to AYUSH patients. The Ayush visa, introduced in 2023, has seen 3,375 foreign nationals traveling to India for AYUSH treatments between 2023 and 2025. Additionally, education is emerging as a channel for influence, with 260 students from 32 countries studying AYUSH in Indian institutions under the Ayush Fellowship Scheme.

Nonetheless, consolidated data on AYUSH's share of India's medical tourism market remains unavailable.