Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that traditional medicine stands at a crucial juncture globally and stressed the need to build greater trust and recognition for age-old healthcare systems that a large
part of the world’s population has relied on for centuries.
While addressing the closing ceremony of the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that despite its widespread use, traditional medicine has not received the recognition it deserves.
“Today, traditional medicine stands at a crucial juncture. A large portion of the world’s population has long relied on it. But despite this, traditional medicine has not received the recognition it deserves. Therefore, we need to win trust in this direction,” he said as quoted by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Today, traditional medicine stands at a crucial juncture. A large portion of the world’s population has long relied on it. But despite this, traditional medicine has not received the recognition it deserves. Therefore, we need… pic.twitter.com/ZDcDjq2yys
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
PM Modi further praised the WHO Summit saying that the collective efforts at the summit reflected the world’s readiness to take concrete steps in this direction.
He also emphasised the importance of Yoga in the traditional medicine saying that it has guided people across the world towards health, balance and harmony. He recalled that sustained efforts by India, along with the support of more than 175 countries, led to the United Nations declaring June 21 as International Yoga Day.
“Yoga has shown the whole world the path to health, balance, and harmony. Thanks to the efforts of India and the support of more than 175 countries, the United Nations declared June 21st as International Yoga Day. I commend every individual who has made a significant contribution to the promotion and development of yoga…” he said.
#WATCH | Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "The success of this summit is very important from a global perspective. Traditional medicine systems also include yoga. Yoga has shown the whole world the path to health, balance, and harmony. Thanks to the efforts of India and… pic.twitter.com/tzjlDGWFp0
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
He further highlighted the deliberations over the past three days in the summit, saying that experts from across the world had engaged in meaningful discussions on traditional medicine, and expressed satisfaction that India had emerged as a strong global platform for such dialogue. He also acknowledged the active role played by the World Health Organization (WHO) in advancing this agenda.
PM Modi said it was a matter of pride for India that the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine has been established in Jamnagar, Gujarat. “The world entrusted us with this responsibility with great confidence at the first Traditional Medicine Summit,” he said.
WHO Global Summit On Traditional Medicine
The Summit, being held from December 17 to 19, is jointly organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Ayush. It is themed as “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being”.
The three-day programme underscored India’s growing leadership and pioneering initiatives in shaping a global, science-based, and people-centred traditional medicine agenda.
The summit witnessed intensive deliberations among global leaders, policymakers, scientists, practitioners, Indigenous knowledge holders, and civil society representatives on advancing equitable, sustainable, and evidence-driven health systems.
