PM Modi announces plan to issue AYUSH visas for foreigners seeking traditional treatment

While lauding India’s heritage in the use of traditional medicines, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, announced that the Union government is deliberating on launching ‘AYUSH  Visas’ for foreign nationals wanting to visit India to avail AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) medical treatment.

In a bid to expand India’s traditional legacy of curing lethal diseases by using natural ingredients, PM Modi, while addressing the inaugural session of the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit 2022, declared that the Centre would soon announce the AYUSH visa category to promote medical tourism.

"Soon, India is going to introduce a special AYUSH visa category for foreign nationals who want to come to India to take advantage of AYUSH therapy," he said. WHO chief Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, who is visiting India, was present when the announcement was made.

AYUSH Visa, Hallmark & a dedicated portal for AYUSH manufacturers on cards

The aim of launching a specific category of visa would be to make travel to India easier to avail of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) therapies. PM Modi said that his government has calibrated several such measures to promote traditional medicine. The government is seeking to give a global push to the AYUSH sector by taking up such initiatives. He also informed about the government's plan of setting up a digital platform to connect AYUSH manufacturers with farmers across the nation who grow medicinal plants. 

After assuming power, PM Modi's NDA government has taken active measures to transform the sector. In 2014, the Union government established the Ministry of AYUSH, a separate ministry dedicated to traditional medicine and treatment. During his address, PM Modi, on Wednesday, explained that the idea of holding a global AYUSH summit emerged at the beginning of the COVID-19 period when scientists were exploring ways to treat lethal infections and people were using 'desi kadhas'' and traditional medicines to boost their immunity.

 "It’s the first time an investment summit is being held for the AYUSH sector. I thought of this at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. During this time, ‘AYUSH Kada’ and other similar products have helped people boost their immunity," PM Modi asserted. He also said that during the pandemic, the turmeric export from India had increased manifold. 

"We are already witnessing an unprecedented boom in the production of AYUSH medicines, supplements, and cosmetics. We are going to make a special AYUSH hallmark. This hallmark will be applied to the highest quality AYUSH products made in India," PM Modi remarked.

He went on to express his desire to see unicorn startups emerge from the AYUSH sector. "So far this year, 14 startups have joined the unicorn club. I am confident that unicorns will soon emerge from among the AYUSH ecosystem," said PM Modi.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: PTI)