Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 9 Jun: As part of the Government of India’s outreach initiatives highlighting the transformative progress achieved in trade, exports and sectoral development over the last twelve years, the Ministry of Commerce, in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush and the Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL), organised a Regional Outreach Programme and Press Interaction on “Leveraging FTAs for AYUSH & Herbal and Opportunities for Uttarakhand” at the Centre for Aromatic Plants (CAP), Selaqui, here, on Tuesday.
The programme aimed to create awareness among exporters, manufacturers, MSMEs, start-ups, industry representatives, State Licencing Authorities and other stakeholders regarding opportunities emerging from India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), export promotion initiatives and the growing global demand for AYUSH products and services.
Addressing the participants, the Joint Adviser, Ministry of Ayush, Devashish Panda highlighted the significant growth of the AYUSH sector in recent years, supported by policy reforms, quality assurance initiatives, regulatory strengthening and increasing international recognition of India’s traditional systems of medicine. He emphasised that growing global interest in preventive healthcare, wellness and traditional medicine has created new opportunities for Indian AYUSH products and services in international markets.
Amit Verma, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, highlighted the Government’s sustained efforts over the last decade to strengthen India’s export ecosystem through trade facilitation, digital transformation, export promotion initiatives and expansion of market access through Free Trade Agreements. He noted that India’s exports have reached record levels, supported by reforms aimed at improving ease of doing business, reducing compliance burdens and enhancing global competitiveness across sectors. He further highlighted that AYUSH has been identified as a priority sector under the Government’s export promotion initiatives, reflecting its growing contribution to trade, wellness and employment generation.
The programme also highlighted the role of AYUSHEXCIL in facilitating exports of AYUSH and herbal products through market intelligence, capacity building, buyer-seller engagements, international outreach programmes and support for regulatory compliance. Participants were apprised of the growing global demand for AYUSH products and the expanding opportunities available in overseas markets.
Discussions focused on opportunities arising from India’s trade agreements and ongoing engagements with key partner countries. Participants were informed about the potential benefits of enhanced market access, regulatory cooperation, quality certification frameworks and export facilitation measures for AYUSH products, medicinal plants, herbal extracts, nutraceuticals and wellness services.
The programme further highlighted various initiatives undertaken by the Government to strengthen the quality, credibility and global acceptance of AYUSH products, including promotion of internationally aligned quality standards, certification mechanisms, digital regulatory systems and capacity-building measures for industry stakeholders.
Given Uttarakhand’s rich resource base in medicinal and aromatic plants and its established presence in the AYUSH and wellness ecosystem, the programme provided a platform for local stakeholders to understand emerging export opportunities and engage directly with experts on issues relating to exports, compliance requirements and market access.
An interactive session enabled participants to raise queries and share suggestions regarding export procedures, regulatory requirements, quality standards and opportunities available under India’s evolving trade architecture. The programme concluded with a press interaction and stakeholder engagement session.
