India Strengthens Global Ties on Herbal Medicine Regulation at WHO–IRCH Meeting in Jakarta
The 16th annual meeting of the World Health Organization’s International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) began in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Tuesday.
Jakarta, October 15: The 16th annual meeting of the World Health Organization’s International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) began in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Tuesday, bringing together regulators and experts from member countries to enhance global cooperation on the safety, quality, and efficacy of herbal medicines.
India is represented by a high-level delegation led by Dr Raghu Arackal, Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush. The team includes Dr Raman Mohan Singh, Deputy Director General (I/c), Ayush and Director, Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), and Dr Mahesh Dadhich, CEO, National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB).
The meeting underscores India’s leadership in shaping international regulatory frameworks and advancing traditional medicine integration within global health systems.
On October 13, the Indian delegation met Ambassador Sandeep Chakravorty in Jakarta to discuss strengthening cooperation under the MoU on Traditional Medicine Quality Assurance, signed in January 2025 between Indonesia’s FDA and PCIM&H. The pact focuses on capacity building, technical exchange, and harmonisation of quality standards. The Ambassador assured full embassy support for its implementation.
At the inaugural session, Dr Arackal highlighted India’s policy initiatives and international partnerships that are reinforcing the credibility and global standing of Indian systems of medicine. He also stressed India’s commitment to advancing evidence-based traditional medicine through robust regulatory mechanisms.
A major highlight of the Jakarta meeting was the release of the proceedings of the WHO–IRCH Workshop on Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines, hosted by the Ministry of Ayush and PCIM&H in Ghaziabad in August 2025.
The three-day event will continue till October 16, reaffirming the global commitment to ensure the safe, effective, and quality-assured use of herbal medicines, with India playing a pivotal role in shaping the international regulatory discourse.
