The Ministry of Ayush has introduced the Ayush Quality Mark, a quality-assurance framework intended to strengthen India’s efforts to expand the international reach of Ayurveda and other AYUSH systems. The initiative aims to connect Indian AYUSH products and services with internationally recognised quality, safety and certification standards, supporting their acceptance in overseas markets.
Ayush Quality Mark: What Is It?
The Ayush Quality Mark is a framework introduced by the Ministry of Ayush to identify AYUSH products and services that meet the applicable recognised quality requirements.
The programme was launched on December 19, 2025, during the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi. The Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL), the export promotion council for the AYUSH sector, has been entrusted with its implementation.
The initiative aims to strengthen quality assurance, build consumer confidence and improve the global recognition and competitiveness of Indian AYUSH products and services.
What Does the Ayush Quality Mark Cover?
The framework is not limited to medicines. According to the Ministry of Ayush, it covers several categories of products and services, including:
- AYUSH drugs.
- Herbal and botanical products.
- Product-testing laboratories.
- AYUSH hospitals.
- Day-care centres and clinics.
- Health centres.
- Medical Value Travel Facilitators (MVTFs).
The framework uses recognised certification and accreditation mechanisms rather than establishing an entirely separate quality system for every category.
Connecting AYUSH Products with Global Standards
A key objective of the initiative is to demonstrate that participating products and services meet the relevant recognised quality and safety requirements.
For eligible AYUSH medicines, relevant certifications and regulatory approvals may include WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP), the AYUSH Premium Mark and other recognised certifications, depending on the product and applicable requirements.
The Ministry has stated that the Ayush Quality Mark is issued after scrutiny and verification of valid quality certifications and statutory approvals.
For hospitals, clinics and wellness centres, the framework may recognise suitable international accreditation or certification routes. AYUSHEXCIL’s programme documents specify eligibility requirements involving recognised healthcare accreditation and standards such as ISO 7101, where applicable to the category.
Building on Existing Certifications
An important feature of the programme is its consideration of existing compliance arrangements.
Rather than automatically requiring every applicant to undergo an entirely new assessment, the framework can consider existing certifications, accreditations and statutory approvals relevant to the applicant.
This approach aims to reduce duplication and make compliance more practical for organisations that already meet recognised standards.
The framework therefore seeks to establish a common quality-recognition mechanism while drawing on existing national and international certification systems.
Supporting India’s Traditional Medicine Exports
The initiative comes as India seeks to expand international markets for Ayurveda and other traditional healthcare systems.
The Ministry of Ayush has highlighted international quality assurance and regulatory compliance as important factors in strengthening the credibility of Indian AYUSH products overseas.
The government has also established an AYUSH vertical within the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to strengthen regulatory oversight of AYUSH drugs.
CDSCO also facilitates the issuance of WHO Certificates of Pharmaceutical Products (WHO-CoPP) for eligible AYUSH drugs intended for export, subject to applicable requirements and inspections.
These measures complement the Ayush Quality Mark rather than replacing existing regulatory obligations.
Quality Assurance Beyond the Quality Mark
The Ministry of Ayush is also implementing the Ayush Oushadhi Gunvatta Evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY), a Central Sector Scheme aimed at strengthening standardisation, quality manufacturing, analytical testing, regulatory systems, safety monitoring and surveillance.
The scheme also supports AYUSH pharmacies and drug-testing laboratories in improving their standards. The government reported providing financial support to three state drug-testing laboratories under the scheme during 2025–26.
The broader regulatory framework includes official pharmacopeial standards for AYUSH medicines and testing arrangements used to assess their identity, purity, quality and strength.
How Could the Quality Mark Affect Global Markets?
For manufacturers, healthcare institutions and service providers, international recognition of quality standards can be important when entering overseas markets.
The Ayush Quality Mark is intended to provide a more structured way to demonstrate compliance with recognised requirements. This may help international buyers, healthcare institutions and other stakeholders evaluate the quality credentials of Indian AYUSH products and services.
However, the presence of a quality mark should not be interpreted as proof that every AYUSH product has been clinically demonstrated to treat a particular disease. Quality certification and clinical efficacy are separate concepts. Certification primarily concerns the relevant quality, safety, regulatory and accreditation requirements within its scope.
India’s Broader Global Traditional Medicine Strategy
The Ayush Quality Mark forms part of India’s wider international engagement in traditional medicine.
India and the World Health Organization (WHO) have also worked to strengthen the integration of traditional medicine into international health frameworks. In May 2025, the Ministry of Ayush and WHO signed an agreement to develop a dedicated traditional medicine module under the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI), with a focus on Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani.
The Ministry of Ayush and WHO also held a technical meeting in New Delhi in December 2025 on developing traditional medicine intervention codes. This work is intended to support the international classification and documentation of traditional medicine interventions.
India also hosts the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, established with the support of the Government of India. Its areas of focus include research, evidence, innovation, health systems and the responsible development of traditional medicine.
What Stakeholders Need to Know
Organisations seeking the Ayush Quality Mark should consult the latest requirements for their specific category.
Key considerations include:
- Eligibility criteria vary according to the product or service category.
- Existing recognised certifications and accreditations may be considered.
- Applicable statutory approvals remain necessary.
- Organisations must comply with relevant national and international quality standards.
- The Ayush Quality Mark does not replace other mandatory regulatory requirements.
- Applicants should consult AYUSHEXCIL’s latest programme documents for category-specific requirements.
Why Developing Quality Standards Matters
India’s traditional medicine systems have a substantial domestic presence, but expanding internationally requires more than traditional knowledge alone. Products and services entering global markets must also meet appropriate expectations regarding quality, safety, consistency, regulation and professional standards.
The Ayush Quality Mark aims to develop a more transparent quality-recognition framework for Indian traditional healthcare products and services.
Its long-term impact will depend on consistent implementation, the credibility of the certification process and recognition of the framework among international markets and stakeholders.
Conclusion
The Ayush Quality Mark is part of India’s efforts to strengthen quality assurance and the international visibility of its traditional medicine sector. The initiative aims to build confidence in Indian AYUSH products and services and support global market access by bringing existing certifications, regulatory approvals and recognised standards into a common recognition framework.
For Ayurveda and other AYUSH stakeholders, the initiative highlights the importance of combining traditional knowledge with robust quality systems, scientific evidence and internationally accepted standards.
