NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi Friday put traditional medicine at the centre of global health conversation, flagging launch of Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL) as a shared international platform to anchor ayurveda, yoga & other ancient systems in research, policy and evidence-based care.Addressing the closing ceremony of the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine at Bharat Mandapam, Modi said the digital library fulfils a commitment made during India’s G20 presidency and will bring together scientific data, research and policy documents related to traditional medicine on a single global platform. “This will ensure equal access to authentic information for every country,” he said.The TMGL hosts content from 194 countries and marks a shift from fragmented, region-specific knowledge to a shared global repository, enabling evidence-based research, regulation and safer integration of traditional medicine into national health systems.The PM said the three-day summit reflected a new convergence of tradition and technology, with deliberations on research, digital tools, AI, global standards and investment. He said these discussions have culminated in the Delhi Declaration, which will serve as a common roadmap for cooperation on safety, standards and training.Highlighting India’s leadership, he said it was a matter of pride that WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is based in Jamnagar. He also inaugurated the new WHO South-East Asia Regional Office Complex in Delhi, describing it as a global hub for research, regulation and capacity building.Linking traditional medicine to modern health challenges, he said lifestyle imbalances are driving diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, depression and cancer. “Restoring balance is not just a global cause but a global urgency,” he said. The PM announced steps to strengthen integrative cancer care, combining traditional systems with modern treatment, and highlighted ongoing clinical studies on anaemia, arthritis and diabetes, alongside growing innovation by Indian start-ups.During the event, Modi launched key Ayush initiatives, including the My Ayush Integrated Services Portal and the Ayush Mark as a global quality benchmark, and released a WHO technical report on yoga training. He also felicitated the recipients of Prime Minister’s Awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Promotion and Development of Yoga, recognising their sustained efforts in taking yoga to a global audience.
