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From Ayurveda to Algorithms: India’s AI Push Sets Global Standard in Traditional Medicine

Backed by WHO and showcased during its G20 presidency, India’s push to digitise and globalise Ayurveda and allied systems marks a new chapter in integrative healthcare.

• By Pooja Sah
• New Delhi
• Jul 21, 2025

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India is leading a quiet revolution in the global healthcare ecosystem — one that fuses millennia-old traditional medicine systems with modern technology and international diplomacy. In a string of major developments over the past year, the country has emerged as a global leader in digitising, standardising, and exporting traditional healthcare practices such as Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and institutional partnerships to move these systems into the scientific mainstream.

At the centre of this transformation is the relaunch of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) — a government-led initiative that has become the first comprehensive digital archive of traditional medicine in the world to incorporate AI tools for classification, research, and drug discovery. Developed jointly by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Ministry of Ayush, the new TKDL is designed not only to prevent the misappropriation of India’s indigenous knowledge but also to modernise its application in global medicine.

Once used primarily to challenge biopiracy — such as foreign patents on turmeric and neem-based treatments — the TKDL now uses advanced machine learning and natural language processing to digitise more than 300,000 formulations sourced from classical texts in Sanskrit, Arabic, Tamil, and Persian. These are translated and codified in global patent languages, offering a digital, verifiable record of knowledge that spans centuries.

“This is no longer just a protective database,” said Dr Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush. “We are now creating research-grade digital infrastructure that allows traditional systems to evolve with evidence and innovation.”

Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine: WHO

India’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. In early 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a technical brief titled Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine, a landmark document that places India at the heart of a global movement to integrate traditional health practices with modern scientific tools.

The WHO brief acknowledges India’s pioneering role in combining AI with traditional diagnostics and treatment planning. It highlights the country’s use of deep learning algorithms to support classical methods like pulse diagnosis (nadi pariksha), tongue analysis, and prakriti-based constitution typing. The report also showcases India’s work in Ayurgenomics — a novel interdisciplinary field that uses genomic science to decode Ayurvedic body types for personalised and predictive care.

“The recognition from WHO is not just about the use of AI. It’s about how we are systematically redefining traditional medicine’s place in the global health narrative,” said Kotecha.

In addition, WHO and the Ministry of Ayush signed an agreement in May to develop a dedicated Traditional Medicine Module within the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI). This will enable the standardisation of therapies such as Panchakarma, Yoga, Unani regimens, and Siddha procedures, and their integration into insurance, hospital administration, and clinical research globally.

Traditional Medicine on the G20 Agenda

India’s traditional medicine diplomacy gained momentum during its presidency of the G20 in 2023, when it brought Ayush systems to the international policy stage. For the first time in the history of the forum, a dedicated session on “Evidence-Based Integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine” was included in the G20 Health Working Group’s agenda.

The discussions in Gandhinagar underscored the global appetite for alternative, affordable, and preventative healthcare systems — especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. India positioned its traditional systems not merely as heritage, but as viable models for primary healthcare delivery in both developing and developed contexts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking during a G20 event, reiterated India’s belief in a holistic healthcare framework that balances science with tradition. “India’s ancient systems of health offer time-tested practices,” he said. “With scientific validation, they can serve humanity globally, especially in areas of prevention and wellness.”

This global push is now being institutionalised through India’s leadership in WHO’s Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Launched in 2022, the GCTM is the first and only international institution dedicated to coordinating global efforts in research, regulation, and standardisation of traditional medicine.

Heal in India: From Heritage to Healthcare Economy

Complementing its global advocacy is India’s domestic strategy to make traditional medicine a pillar of its medical economy. Under the “Heal in India” and “Heal by India” initiatives, the government is investing in turning India into a global hub for wellness and medical tourism.

According to a 2024 report by FICCI and EY, India’s medical value travel market is projected to grow from $18.2 billion in 2025 to $58.2 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 12.3%. Much of this growth is expected to be driven by international patients seeking holistic, non-invasive treatments rooted in Ayurveda, naturopathy, and Yoga.

To meet this demand, India is establishing specialised Ayush clusters in states like Kerala and Maharashtra, streamlining visa and hospital services for foreign patients, and integrating Ayush practices into mainstream medical offerings at top private hospitals.

Dr Manoj Nesari, Advisor to the Ministry of Ayush, said the growing global interest in India’s healing traditions marks a shift in how wellness is being defined. “Ayurveda and Yoga are no longer niche or alternative. They are becoming integral to how the world views preventative healthcare.”

The Promise and the Path Ahead

Despite the momentum, experts caution that India must continue investing in clinical validation, quality assurance, and professional regulation. Critics argue that the rapid internationalisation of Ayush must be matched by evidence generation and patient safety protocols, lest the systems lose credibility.

However, with initiatives such as Ayurgenomics, AI-powered diagnostics, and international frameworks like ICHI, India appears to be addressing these concerns with ambition and clarity.

By positioning traditional knowledge not as static folklore but as dynamic, evolving science, India is reshaping its global identity in healthcare — from a provider of generic drugs to a thought leader in integrative medicine.

As the WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted during his recent visit to India, “The future of health is integrative, inclusive, and innovative. India is showing us what that looks like.”

Sources: Ministry of Ayush, WHO Technical Briefs, G20 Health Secretariat, FICCI-EY Medical Tourism Report 2024