PM Modi Stresses Science-Backed Ayurveda In Healthcare Push

Highlighting a decisive shift in India’s healthcare policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the country has moved away from treating traditional systems of medicine in silos and adopted a “holistic healthcare approach” by integrating Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy under the Ministry of Ayush.

Speaking via video message at the centenary celebrations of the Arya Vaidya Sala Charitable Hospital in Kerala recently, the Prime Minister said this policy realignment over the past decade has strengthened preventive healthcare, expanded global outreach, and renewed public trust in India’s ancient medical knowledge systems.

Referring to the government’s initiatives, Modi pointed to the National Ayush Mission and the establishment of more than 12,000 Ayush Wellness Centres across the country that focus on yoga, preventive care, and community health services. “For a long time, India’s ancient medical systems were viewed in isolation. In the last 10–11 years, there has been a major change in this approach,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the impact of these policies was clearly visible in the rapid growth of the Ayush sector. Exports of Ayush and herbal products, he noted, have more than doubled—from around Rs 3,000 crore in 2014 to about Rs 6,500 crore—providing significant benefits to farmers, manufacturers, and small enterprises. To further expand India’s footprint in global wellness markets, the government has set up the Ayush Export Promotion Council, which is already yielding “very positive results,” he added.

Modi also said India was emerging as a trusted destination for Ayush-based medical value travel, supported by initiatives such as the Ayush Visa, which enables foreign patients to access traditional medical treatments more easily. He said Ayurveda and other Indian systems of medicine are now being showcased on major global platforms, including BRICS and G20 summits, as models of holistic health.

Referring to institutional milestones, the Prime Minister said the World Health Organization’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda have strengthened India’s leadership in traditional medicine research and education. He added that medicinal farming was being encouraged along the banks of the Ganga to meet growing demand for Ayurvedic formulations.

The Prime Minister also cited the recently announced trade agreement with the European Union, saying it would give a major boost to Indian traditional medicine services. Under the agreement, Ayush practitioners will be able to offer services in EU member states where regulations do not exist, based on professional qualifications earned in India. This, he said, would benefit young professionals and pave the way for Ayush wellness centres in Europe.

Turning to the role of evidence-based research, Modi said public trust in Ayurveda grows when traditional practices are validated through scientific methods. He praised Arya Vaidya Sala’s collaboration with institutions such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and highlighted the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for cancer research with support from the Ministry of Ayush as a significant step forward.

“Arya Vaidya Sala stands as a living symbol of India’s centuries-old healing tradition,” Modi said, crediting the institution with preserving Ayurveda while advancing it through scientific validation and public service. He recalled the contributions of its founder, Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier, and said his commitment to holistic healthcare and public welfare continued to inspire generations.

Noting the institution’s global reach, the Prime Minister said Arya Vaidya Sala today manufactures more than 600 Ayurvedic medicines and treats patients across India and from over 60 countries. “For Arya Vaidya Sala, service is not merely an idea but a sentiment reflected in its actions,” he said.

Congratulating the institution on 100 years of uninterrupted service by its charitable hospital, Modi lauded the doctors, vaidyas, nurses, and staff, and acknowledged Kerala’s long-standing role in preserving and promoting Ayurvedic traditions.

Emphasising the future, the Prime Minister said Ayurveda must increasingly integrate modern technology and artificial intelligence to improve disease prediction and treatment outcomes. He said Arya Vaidya Sala had demonstrated how tradition and modernity could move together, creating healthcare systems rooted in trust, ethics, and scientific rigour.

He expressed hope that the institution would continue its journey of service and innovation, improving lives while strengthening India’s standing as a global hub for holistic healthcare.