16th WHO–IRCH Annual Meeting Begins in Jakarta

Jakarta:14/10/25:The 16th Annual Meeting of the World Health Organization – International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (WHO–IRCH) is being held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 14th to 16th October 2025. The meeting brings together representatives from WHO Member States and observer organisations to deliberate on the harmonisation of regulatory frameworks and to promote international cooperation in the areas of safety, quality, and efficacy of herbal medicines.

India is participating through a high-level delegation led by Dr. Raghu Arackal, Advisor (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. 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, Chief Executive Officer, National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB). Their active participation highlights India’s leadership in advancing regulatory harmonisation and integration of traditional medicine systems within global health frameworks.

On 13th October 2025, the delegation met H.E. Sandeep Chakravorty, Ambassador of India to Indonesia. The delegation apprised the Ambassador of India’s participation in the WHO–IRCH Annual Meeting and explored avenues to strengthen international collaboration in traditional medicine. Detailed discussions focused on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Medicine Quality Assurance between the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), Ministry of Ayush, signed on 26th January 2025. The MoU aims to enhance cooperation through capacity building, exchange of technical expertise, and harmonisation of quality assurance practices. Ambassador Chakravorty assured active support and coordination by the Embassy of India in Jakarta to facilitate the effective implementation of the MoU.

On the opening day of the meeting, Dr. Raghu Arackal delivered a presentation on the status of herbal medicines in India, highlighting recent initiatives, policy developments, and international partnerships led by the Ministry of Ayush. His address underscored India’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the regulatory ecosystem for traditional medicines and its proactive role in fostering global collaborations in the sector.

A key highlight of the meeting was the release of the Proceedings of the WHO–IRCH Workshop on “Safety and Regulation of Herbal Medicines” (Working Group-1) and “Efficacy and Intended Use of Herbal Medicines” (Working Group-3). The workshop was organised by the World Health Organization and hosted by the Ministry of Ayush with support from PCIM&H, held from 6th to 8th August 2025 in Ghaziabad, India.

The three-day meeting in Jakarta reaffirms the collective commitment of WHO–IRCH member countries to ensure the safe, effective, and quality use of herbal medicines globally. India continues to emerge as a key contributor in shaping international policy and regulatory cooperation in the traditional medicine domain.