India proposes cooperation with Belarus in traditional medicine

India has expressed interest in developing cooperation with Belarus in the field of traditional Indian wellness practices. This was stated by India’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus, Ashok Kumar, at a pharmaceutical business forum in Minsk. His remarks were reported by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS.

AYUSH is an umbrella term for traditional Indian systems of healthcare, encompassing Ayurveda (an ancient system based on the balance of body, mind and spirit), yoga (a complex of physical and spiritual practices), Unani (a traditional system derived from ancient Greek medicine), Siddha (a system originating in southern India), and homeopathy.

The Indian side has submitted a memorandum of understanding to the Belarusian government for consideration in this area and has opened an AYUSH information centre at its embassy. The centre is tasked with promoting these practices and disseminating reliable information about them.

The ambassador expressed hope that discussions at the forum would help create conditions for joint research in drug development, enhance cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, and strengthen business ties between manufacturers and buyers.

Among the key characteristics of the Belarusian pharmaceutical market, the Indian side highlighted its high level of competition and fragmentation: numerous players operate within it, but no single company dominates the industry. At the same time, both state and private associations are actively developing. Large-scale projects are also being implemented in free economic zones and industrial parks, including the construction of a syringe manufacturing plant, a radiation sterilisation centre, and a new pharmaceutical factory. These initiatives aim to reduce dependence on imports and stimulate high-tech domestic production.

Over more than 30 years, India and Belarus have built a strong, multifaceted partnership in the pharmaceutical sector, Ashok Kumar noted.

"This cooperation combines India’s strengths as a global leader in generic drug manufacturing and cost-effective innovation with Belarus’s advantages in developed industrial production, research potential and strategic geographical location"

Ashok Kumar India’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus

According to the ambassador, Belarus and India have established a joint working group on pharmaceuticals to advance bilateral cooperation. The group’s first meeting took place in New Delhi in 2017, and its third meeting is scheduled to be held virtually in June this year.