In a major milestone for global healthcare innovation, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a technical brief titled “Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine”, highlighting India’s pioneering role in combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) with traditional medicine systems—particularly Ayush.
This landmark document follows a proposal by India and marks the development of WHO’s first-ever roadmap for applying AI in traditional medicine. It underscores India's strategic efforts to blend its time-tested medical heritage with cutting-edge digital technologies.
India’s initiative aligns with the broader vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has championed the use of AI for inclusive, socially impactful development. Speaking at the 2023 Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit, PM Modi affirmed: “Our endeavour is to take full advantage of the capabilities of AI for social development and inclusive growth.”
Recognising this vision, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, stated, “This recognition underscores our alignment with Prime Minister Modi ji's visionary call to harness emerging technologies like AI to expand the global relevance of Traditional Medicine.” He added that India is advancing healthcare through platforms like the SAHI Portal, NAMASTE Portal, and the Ayush Research Portal—all built on the foundation of the Ayush Grid, a digital health platform launched in 2018.
Among the most notable innovations highlighted by WHO is Ayurgenomics, a ground-breaking project that integrates genomic science with Ayurvedic principles. It uses AI-driven analysis of constitution types (Prakriti) to identify predictive disease markers and personalise health interventions. This marks a significant leap toward personalised, evidence-based care rooted in traditional knowledge.
The brief also commends India's efforts to decode the genomic and molecular basis of herbal formulations, with the aim of repurposing traditional remedies for modern diseases. AI is being used to identify drug action pathways, study comparative effectiveness across systems like Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and Unani, and even develop artificial chemical sensors to assess traditional pharmacological parameters such as Rasa, Guna, and Virya.
The WHO document further applauds India's role in digitising healthcare delivery—from online consultations to promoting digital literacy among Ayush practitioners, and building interoperable systems that enable integration with mainstream healthcare.
The Ministry of Ayush has welcomed this recognition as a testament to India’s leadership in forging a scientifically robust, digitally enabled ecosystem for traditional medicine. It also reinforces India’s commitment to global collaboration and responsible innovation, in line with WHO’s strategic vision for AI and traditional health systems.
India’s contributions are not only safeguarding its rich heritage but are also setting new global standards for the future of integrated, tech-enabled healthcare.