BRICS Summit Adopts New Delhi Declaration on Traditional Medicine Cooperation
The 18th BRICS Summit has adopted the New Delhi Declaration that significantly advances international cooperation in Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), recognizing its growing relevance for strengthening health systems and contributing toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC). A key outcome is the establishment of a BRICS Expert Working Group on TCIM under the BRICS Health Track, envisaged as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and exchange among member states.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, emphasized that this recognition represents an important step toward strengthening global cooperation in traditional medicine. The proposed Working Group will provide a meaningful platform for member states to share knowledge, strengthen research, and advance evidence-based approaches. India remains committed to advancing Ayurveda and other traditional systems through scientific research, quality assurance, and international collaboration.
Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, noted that the Declaration marks an important step in advancing structured TCIM cooperation among BRICS countries. The Expert Working Group will provide a focused platform for sharing evidence, strengthening research collaboration, and improving quality and regulatory approaches.
The Declaration specifically calls for greater cooperation in research on medicinal plants and herbal preparations used for therapeutic and preventive purposes. It recognizes that shared traditional pharmacopoeias of BRICS member countries can serve as a foundation for developing safe, effective, and affordable therapeutic products. The emphasis on coordinated research is particularly significant for BRICS countries where traditional medicine systems have evolved over generations and medicinal plants form important healthcare components.
The Declaration reaffirms the importance of ensuring quality, safety, and efficacy of TCIM practices and products through evidence-informed approaches and appropriate regulatory frameworks according to national contexts. This creates scope for BRICS countries to exchange experience in research methodologies, pharmacopoeial standards, quality assurance, regulatory practices, and scientific validation of traditional medicine.
The development follows the BRICS Meeting on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine held in Chandigarh on July 21, 2026, under India's BRICS Chairship, which resulted in consensus on the Terms of Reference for the proposed Expert Working Group. This reinforces India's efforts to advance Ayurveda and other Ayush systems through research, evidence generation, quality assurance, and international cooperation.
The initiative aligns with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which emphasizes strengthening the evidence base, ensuring safety and quality, and supporting appropriate integration of traditional medicine into health systems. The WHO has described the BRICS initiative as significant for advancing international cooperation on traditional medicine.