Jakarta: The 16th Annual Meeting of the World Health Organization – International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) commenced in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 14th to 16th October 2025, bringing together representatives from WHO Member States and observer organisations to deliberate on regulatory harmonisation and international collaboration for ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of herbal medicines worldwide.
India is participating through a high-level delegation led by Dr. Raghu Arackal, Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. The delegation also includes Dr. Raman Mohan Singh, Deputy Director General (I/c), Ayush and Director, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), and Dr. Mahesh Dadhich, Chief Executive Officer, National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB). Their participation underscores India’s leadership role in advancing regulatory convergence and integration of traditional medicine systems within global health frameworks.
Ahead of the meeting, on 13th October 2025, the Indian delegation met H.E. Sandeep Chakravorty, Ambassador of India to Indonesia, to apprise him of India’s participation and discuss avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in traditional medicine. Discussions centred around the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Medicine Quality Assurance signed on 26th January 2025 between the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and PCIM&H, Ministry of Ayush. The MoU seeks to enhance collaboration through capacity building, technical exchange, and harmonisation of quality assurance practices. Ambassador Chakravorty assured full support from the Embassy of India in Jakarta for the effective implementation of this cooperation framework.
During the opening session of the WHO–IRCH meeting, Dr. Raghu Arackal delivered a presentation on the status of herbal medicines in India, highlighting recent policy advancements, quality assurance initiatives, and international partnerships driven by the Ministry of Ayush. He emphasised India’s continuing commitment to strengthening the global regulatory ecosystem for traditional medicine and promoting safe, evidence-based herbal practices.
A notable highlight of the event was the release of the Proceedings of the WHO–IRCH Workshop on “Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines” (Working Group-1) and “Efficacy and Intended Use of Herbal Medicines” (Working Group-3) — a workshop hosted by the Ministry of Ayush with support from PCIM&H, and organised by the WHO from 6th to 8th August 2025 in Ghaziabad, India.
The three-day meeting in Jakarta reaffirms the shared commitment of WHO–IRCH member countries to ensuring the global use of safe, effective, and high-quality herbal medicines. With its proactive engagement and growing regulatory expertise, India continues to play a pivotal role in shaping international policy and cooperation in the traditional medicine sector.
