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

India has been leveraging its traditional health systems, Yoga and Ayurveda (AYUSH), to bolster its global health diplomacy and economic partnerships. The Indian government has been actively incorporating these practices into its trade agreements, aiming to transform AYUSH from a cultural export into a formalized health and services opportunity.

Recent examples include the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), both of which include provisions on health-related services and traditional medicine. These agreements facilitate the mobility of AYUSH practitioners and Yoga instructors, ease licensing, develop standards, and promote the establishment of AYUSH wellness centers and clinics.

The government's strategy also involves expanding AYUSH through medical tourism, international education, practitioner mobility, and trade agreements. However, experts raise concerns about the credibility of standards, evidence, regulation, practitioner quality, and patient safety if AYUSH is to establish itself in increasingly regulated global healthcare markets.

The Ayush visa, introduced in 2023, has contributed to a significant increase in foreign medical arrivals, with 6.44 lakh foreign nationals visiting India for AYUSH treatments between 2020 and 2024. Despite this growth, the lack of consolidated data on AYUSH patients makes it difficult to assess the sector's actual share of India's medical tourism market.

The government is also promoting AYUSH through education, with the Ayush Fellowship Scheme supporting students from 32 countries studying AYUSH in Indian institutions.