16th Annual Meeting of the World Health Organization – International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) commenced in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 14th to 16th October 2025, bringing together representatives from WHO member states and observer organisations. The three-day forum aims to harmonize regulatory frameworks, ensure safety, quality, and efficacy of herbal medicines, and promote international collaboration in the traditional medicine sector.
India is represented by a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Ayush, led by Dr. Raghu Arackal, Advisor (Ayurveda). The delegation also 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). Their participation highlights India’s leadership in regulatory harmonisation and integration of traditional medicine systems into global health frameworks.
Ahead of the meeting, the delegation met H.E. Sandeep Chakravorty, Ambassador of India to Indonesia, to discuss the MoU on Cooperation in Traditional Medicine Quality Assurance between Indonesia’s FDA and PCIM&H. The MoU, signed in January 2025, focuses on capacity building, technical expertise exchange, and harmonisation of quality assurance practices, strengthening bilateral collaboration in traditional medicine.
During the opening session, Dr. Arackal presented India’s ongoing initiatives, policy developments, and international partnerships in herbal medicine regulation, reinforcing India’s commitment to safety, efficacy, and quality standards in the sector. The meeting also saw the release of proceedings from the WHO–IRCH Workshop held in Ghaziabad, India, in August 2025, which focused on the safety, regulation, efficacy, and intended use of herbal medicines.
WHO–IRCH meeting in Jakarta underscores the global commitment to safe, effective, and quality herbal medicines, with India emerging as a key contributor in shaping international policy and regulatory cooperation in traditional medicine.
