Archive · 14 Sep 2026
BRICS Declaration Advances Evidence-Based Cooperation on Traditional Medicine
BRICS countries agreed to cooperate more on traditional medicine.
Traditional medicine includes Ayurveda and other health practices used for many generations.
They welcomed a proposed expert group to help countries share knowledge and research.
The group would work under the BRICS Health Track.
Countries also want to study medicinal plants and herbal preparations more carefully.
Shared records of traditional medicines could help researchers develop affordable treatments.
The declaration said these practices and products should be tested for quality, safety and effectiveness.
India said it would support research, quality checks and international cooperation.
The expert group is proposed, so its future work still needs to be carried forward.
The New Delhi Declaration at the 18th BRICS Summit supported stronger international cooperation on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine.
BRICS countries welcomed a proposed Expert Working Group on traditional medicine under the BRICS Health Track.
The declaration called for joint research on medicinal plants and herbal preparations used for therapeutic and preventive purposes.
Shared traditional pharmacopoeias were identified as a possible basis for safe, effective and affordable therapeutic products.
The declaration emphasized evidence-informed quality, safety, efficacy and regulatory frameworks suited to member countries’ national contexts.
- Who
- BRICS member countries, India’s Ministry of Ayush, Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav and Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha.
- What
- The New Delhi Declaration supported cooperation on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine and welcomed a proposed BRICS Expert Working Group.
- When
- The declaration was adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit; a related meeting was held on July 21, 2026, and the reports were published September 13–14, 2026.
- Where
- The declaration was adopted in New Delhi, while the related traditional medicine meeting was held in Chandigarh.
- Why
- To promote research, knowledge exchange, evidence-informed practices, quality assurance, regulatory cooperation and the development of safe, effective and affordable therapeutic products.
- Declaration
- New Delhi Declaration
- Summit
- 18th BRICS Summit
- Proposed body
- BRICS Expert Working Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine
- Working group track
- BRICS Health Track
- Research focus
- Medicinal plants and herbal preparations used for therapeutic and preventive purposes
- Standards emphasized
- Evidence, quality, safety, efficacy and appropriate national regulatory frameworks
- Related meeting
- BRICS Meeting on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, held in Chandigarh on July 21, 2026
- International context
- The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 emphasizes evidence, safety, quality and appropriate integration into health systems
