Ayush Sector Economic Growth and Domestic Adoption
India's Ayush sector has experienced significant economic expansion, with the market growing from USD 2.85 billion in 2014 to USD 43.4 billion in 2023. Exports of Ayush products increased from USD 1.09 billion to USD 2.16 billion during the same period. Government initiatives have focused on strengthening MSMEs and startups to create a broader ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation in the sector.
Domestic acceptance of Ayush systems is substantial, as revealed by the first exclusive All-India Survey on Ayush conducted by the National Sample Survey Office during July 2022–June 2023. The survey covered 1,81,298 households (1,04,195 rural and 77,103 urban) and found Ayush awareness levels of 94.8% in rural areas and 96% in urban areas. Usage rates were 46.3% in rural areas and 52.9% in urban areas for treatment or prevention during the preceding 365 days, with Ayurveda emerging as the most commonly used system.
Global Expansion and Medical Value Travel
India is leveraging growing global demand for holistic healthcare through medical value travel initiatives. A dedicated Ayush Visa was introduced on July 27, 2023, for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Ayush systems. The government has partnered with the India Tourism Development Corporation to identify tourism circuits with potential for Ayurveda. The global medical value travel market, estimated at USD 115.6 billion in 2022, is projected to reach approximately USD 286.1 billion by 2030.
Policy Framework and International Collaboration
NITI Aayog released a "Strategic Roadmap for Making Ayurveda Global" in July 2026, envisioning a long-term pathway up to 2047. The roadmap focuses on regulation and standards, research, education, international collaboration, exports, branding, and medical value travel, emphasizing quality standards, infrastructure, credible research, and regulatory frameworks recognizable internationally.
India has played a significant role in global traditional medicine initiatives, including the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 adopted by the 78th World Health Assembly in 2025. India committed an estimated USD 250 million toward the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in 2022. The country also hosted two WHO Global Summits on Traditional Medicine in Gandhinagar (August 2023) and New Delhi (December 17–19, 2025), resulting in the Gujarat Declaration and Delhi Declaration respectively.
Classification and Research Development
In January 2024, WHO launched Traditional Medicine Module 2 of ICD-11, covering morbidity codes for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems, enabling international documentation and reporting framework. WHO clarified this inclusion does not constitute endorsement of scientific validity or efficacy. Work is progressing toward classification of interventions for these systems.
The Ministry of Ayush's Research Portal currently displays more than 43,000 research entries, contributing to greater scientific understanding of Ayurveda while preserving its distinctive principles and knowledge systems.