The new age of wellness: Ayush anchors India’s future-ready holistic health architecture
India stands at the cusp of a transformative shift in healthcare. The Union Budget 2026-27 reaffirms the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of building a holistic, inclusive and future-ready health architecture that serves every citizen. I express my sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for placing integrative healthcare at the heart of India’s development roadmap. Today, Ayush is not merely a custodian of traditional knowledge-it is a strategic pillar of the national healthcare system. Its integration into mainstream policy reflects a conscious shift towards preventive, promotive and wellness-based healthcare.
Building World-Class Institutions
The announcement of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda marks a defining milestone. These apex institutions will blend classical Ayurvedic knowledge with cutting-edge scientific validation, setting new benchmarks in clinical care, research and academic excellence.
India’s Ayush education ecosystem continues to expand, with 932 undergraduate and 254 postgraduate colleges operational across the country. This robust network is nurturing the next generation of practitioners, researchers and innovators who will shape the future of integrative medicine.
Positioning India as a Global Hub of Health & Wellness
The proposal to establish five regional medical value tourism hubs with integrated Ayush centres represents a bold step forward. These hubs will serve as strong pillars of a future-ready, comprehensive healthcare ecosystem-combining medical treatment, wellness therapies, research, education, diagnostics, and rehabilitation. This initiative will position India as a global destination for holistic wellness while generating employment and boosting allied sectors.
Quality, Research and Global Leadership
Quality assurance remains central to our global ambitions. The upgradation of Ayush pharmacies and drug-testing laboratories will strengthen regulatory standards, enhance consumer trust, and expand export potential. This will create a positive ripple effect across the value chain-from farmers cultivating medicinal plants to MSMEs and start-ups driving herbal innovation.
The strengthening of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar further underscores India’s leadership in evidence-based traditional medicine. It signals growing global confidence in India’s knowledge systems and our commitment to scientific rigour, regulatory excellence and international collaboration.
From Expansion to Excellence
Over the past decade, the Ayush sector has witnessed unprecedented growth in infrastructure, education, digital outreach, and global recognition. We are now entering the next phase-shifting from expansion to excellence. Preventive healthcare, lifestyle management and integrative approaches are becoming central to India’s healthcare delivery model.
This sustained commitment is reflected in the steady rise in budgetary allocation-`3,712.50 crore in 2024-25, `3,992.9 crore in 2025-26, and `4,408.9 crore in 2026-27. The consistent increase underscores the Government’s resolve to expand infrastructure, strengthen research, enhance regulatory frameworks and widen access to Ayush services across the country.
Healthcare in the 21st century must move beyond treatment to prevention, beyond fragmentation to integration, and beyond illness to wellness. The vision articulated in this Budget ensures that India’s healthcare future remains rooted in its civilisational strengths while guided by modern science and global standards. Ayush stands prepared to play its full role in building a healthier, self-reliant and globally respected India-where holistic well-being becomes the foundation of national progress.
Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush
