The New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit has delivered a major boost to international cooperation in Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM), highlighting its growing role in strengthening health systems and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
A key development in the declaration is the welcome extended to the proposed creation of a BRICS Expert Working Group on TCIM under the BRICS Health Track. The proposed mechanism is expected to provide a structured platform for BRICS Member States to exchange knowledge, promote collaboration and deepen cooperation in traditional medicine.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, said the recognition of TCIM in the declaration represented an important step towards stronger global cooperation in traditional medicine.
“The proposed BRICS Expert Working Group will provide a meaningful platform for Member States to share knowledge, strengthen research and advance evidence-based approaches,” Jadhav said, adding that India remains committed to promoting Ayurveda and other traditional systems through scientific research, quality assurance and international collaboration.
BRICS Pushes Evidence-Based Traditional Medicine
The New Delhi Declaration places particular emphasis on strengthening research into medicinal plants and herbal preparations used for therapeutic and preventive purposes. It recognises the traditional pharmacopoeias shared by BRICS countries as a potential foundation for developing safe, effective and affordable therapeutic products.
The focus on coordinated research is significant because traditional systems of medicine have developed over generations across several BRICS countries. Medicinal plants and herbal preparations continue to form an important part of healthcare traditions in many member nations.
Greater cooperation could support systematic documentation, knowledge exchange, research collaboration and evidence generation while encouraging the responsible development of therapeutic products.
The declaration also underlines the importance of ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of TCIM practices and products through evidence-informed approaches and suitable regulatory frameworks that take into account the national contexts of individual Member States.
This approach could encourage BRICS countries to exchange expertise in research methodologies, pharmacopoeial standards, quality assurance, regulatory practices and scientific validation of traditional medicine.
India’s BRICS Chairship Strengthens TCIM Cooperation
The latest development builds on the BRICS Meeting on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine held in Chandigarh on July 21, 2026, under India’s BRICS Chairship.
The meeting brought together senior government officials, technical experts and representatives of BRICS Member States to discuss cooperation in research, education, knowledge exchange and regulatory frameworks related to TCIM.
The meeting also achieved consensus on the Terms of Reference for the proposed BRICS Expert Working Group on TCIM, laying groundwork for more structured and sustained cooperation.
The proposed working group could further institutionalise engagement between policymakers, research organisations, academic institutions and specialists across BRICS countries.
For India, the initiative is particularly important as it strengthens the international platform for Ayurveda and the broader Ayush ecosystem. India has continued to emphasise scientific research, evidence generation, quality assurance, safety and efficacy in its efforts to promote traditional systems of medicine domestically and internationally.
Medicinal Plants, Research and Regulatory Cooperation
The declaration’s focus on medicinal plants and herbal preparations could create new opportunities for scientific and technical collaboration among BRICS countries.
Joint research and knowledge-sharing initiatives could contribute to improved documentation of medicinal resources, strengthen pharmacopoeial expertise and support the development of quality-assured therapeutic products.
Such cooperation could also help bridge traditional knowledge and modern scientific approaches. By encouraging evidence generation and appropriate regulatory practices, BRICS countries can work towards strengthening public confidence in traditional and integrative healthcare approaches.
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The emphasis comes amid growing international attention to the role of traditional medicine in health systems. The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 focuses on strengthening evidence, promoting safety and quality, and supporting the appropriate integration of traditional medicine into healthcare systems.
New Platform for Global Medicine Cooperation
The inclusion of TCIM within the BRICS Health Track represents more than formal recognition of traditional medicine. It creates a framework for sustained cooperation around research, innovation, evidence, capacity building and regulation.
The proposed Expert Working Group can bring together the diverse experience of BRICS countries and provide a dedicated mechanism for policymakers, researchers and institutions to work collectively.
For India, the development reinforces its efforts to position Ayurveda and other Ayush systems within international discussions on evidence-based traditional medicine, preventive healthcare and resilient health systems.
By linking traditional medicine cooperation with Universal Health Coverage, scientific research, quality, safety and efficacy, the New Delhi Declaration provides a strong foundation for BRICS nations to pursue practical collaboration.
The initiative could ultimately help combine knowledge, scientific research, medicinal plant resources, pharmacopoeial expertise and regulatory experience in pursuit of safe, effective and affordable healthcare solutions.
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