India has set its sights on transforming Ayurveda into a globally recognised, evidence-based healthcare system by 2047, with NITI Aayog releasing a comprehensive strategic roadmap outlining how the country plans to strengthen international acceptance, accelerate exports, and establish itself as the world’s leading authority in traditional medicine.
Titled Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global, the report has been prepared by PwC under NITI Aayog’s Research Scheme and aligns with the government’s Viksit Bharat@2047 vision. It presents a phased strategy covering scientific validation, manufacturing standards, international collaborations, and medical value travel, addressing the structural barriers that have historically limited Ayurveda’s global potential.
The numbers tell a story of steady but constrained growth. Ayurveda products are currently exported to nearly 150 countries, with exports rising from USD 1.09 billion in 2014 to USD 2.16 billion in 2023. However, the report flags a significant limitation: most Ayurvedic products are marketed internationally as dietary supplements rather than medicines, largely due to varying regulatory frameworks across markets. This classification restricts the export potential of higher-value Ayurvedic formulations and limits their recognition within mainstream healthcare systems.
To address this, the roadmap recommends establishing a Global Ayurveda Register, creating a World Federation for Ayurveda and Yoga, expanding mutual recognition agreements with international governments, and introducing Ayurveda electives in medical schools worldwide. On the research front, the report calls for an International Ayurveda Research Alliance, increased global clinical trials, and stronger industry-academia collaboration to build a credible scientific evidence base.
Manufacturing upgrades are also central to the strategy, with recommendations to align India’s production facilities with WHO-GMP standards, develop an export-oriented Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia, and establish overseas finishing units.
For India’s beauty, wellness, and spa industries, the roadmap represents a significant opportunity. As global consumer interest in holistic, preventive healthcare continues to accelerate, a scientifically validated and internationally recognised Ayurveda could become one of India’s most powerful wellness exports.
