Recognizing the popularity of the Indian Systems of Medicine in other countries, the Department of Ayush under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has re-defined its strategy for International Co-operation and taken several steps in this regard.

“However, there are several impediments in popularizing Ayush in foreign countries. These are absence of regulatory provisions, lack of authentic knowledge about Ayush systems, and doubts about the safety of ASU drugs,’’ according to an official statement.

“To remove these impediments, in addition to taking part as in seminars and conferences abroad, the Department is now engaging with other countries in a more structured and concrete manner by entering into MoUs for cooperation in Traditional Medicine as well as for setting up of Academic Chairs in educational institutions abroad,” it said.

Thus as compared to the previous years where only one MoU had been signed with China in 2008, MoUs on Traditional Medicines have been entered into with Malaysia and Trinidad & Tobago in the recent past. The MoU with Nepal is currently under Government’s consideration.

Furthermore, MoU with Serbia is also in the pipeline. Academic Chairs have been already set up in South Africa. In addition to this, Chairs are being set up in Germany and Trinidad & Tobago. Chairs will also be set up in Nepal and Sri Lanka after the MoUs have been signed, the release said.