Countries across the globe should collaborate with India in order to accord global status to the Ayurveda system of medicine, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
Modi was in Goa to address the valedictory session of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress being held in Panaji.
"Institutions like the Centre for Integrated Medicines are doing research on Yoga and Ayurveda. Their research papers are getting published in prestigious journals. Recently, the Journal of American College of Cardiology and Neurology has published many research papers. I wish all delegates of the World Ayurveda Congress, all countries to come together to get global status for Ayurveda, they can collaborate with India and contribute,” the Prime Minister said in his address.
Modi also said that yoga and ayurveda had emerged as a global hope, adding that while yoga today was being celebrated globally at health and wellness events, ayurveda had historically taught a “system of living and to remain happy” and to keep the body and mind healthy in tandem.
“With an experience of knowledge, science and culture, our aim is to foster the concept of ‘welfare of world’. Ayurveda is an effective medium for the same,” PM Modi said.
He also said that the issue of lack of sleep, which is a disorder that plagued people universally, has been deliberated in detail by experts of Ayurveda over centuries.
“I am happy that more than 30 countries have given recognition to Ayurveda as a traditional medicine system. We have to reach more countries by united efforts,” he said.
Modi however rued the fact that India had lagged behind in terms of generating evidence-based scientific mechanisms to bolster the Ayurveda system.
“We had Ayurveda's results as well as effects in our favour, but we were lagging behind in terms of evidence. Our medical data, research, and journals have to be brought together to verify every claim on modern scientific parameters,” Modi said, adding that the government had also created an Ayush Research Portal for Evidence-Based Research data, where about 40,000 research studies are available.
“During the coronavirus period, we had about 150 specific research studies related to AYUSH. We are now moving forward in the direction of forming a 'National Ayush Research Consortium,” he said.
Modi also said that the Ayush industry was now pegged at around Rs 1.5 lakh crore, as compared to its value which was just around Rs 20,000 crore some years back.
“Seven times growth has been achieved in the last eight years. In the Global market there will be expansion. Global herbal medicine and spices market is about Rs 10 lakh crore,” he said while adding that the tourism sector could also get a boost by promoting Ayurveda and naturopathy.