Artificial Intelligence for global health: Merging tradition and technology in the digital age

The world of health care is entering a new era, where innovation and technology are redefining how we prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage diseases.[1] As digital health technologies evolve at an unprecedented pace, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into medical practices is paving the way for more accessible, personalized, and efficient systems.[2] The role of traditional medicine in this landscape remains crucial. With an emphasis on holistic well-being, Ayush systems, such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy, have been integral to the health of millions across the globe. Today, with the convergence of AI and digital health technologies, traditional medicine systems are being elevated into the future of global health care. In this context, the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) in India stands as a pioneering force, blending AI with traditional systems to create an inclusive and innovative approach to health and wellness. Since its establishment as a full-fledged Ministry in 2014, Ayush has sought to mainstream traditional Indian medical systems, aligning them with modern healthcare paradigms. With cutting-edge digital tools such as Ayush Hospital Management Information System (A-HMIS), Ayush Research Portal (ARP), e-Learning Management System (e-LMS), Ayush NGO, and Nivesh Saarthi, Ayush is transforming how these systems are practiced, researched, and shared worldwide. At the heart of these initiatives lies the drive to not only modernize traditional health practices but also ensure that they are accessible and impactful on a global scale. THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH: A VISIONARY APPROACH TO DIGITAL HEALTH INNOVATION The Ministry of Ayush has set an ambitious agenda to strengthen and integrate traditional Indian healthcare systems with modern digital infrastructure.[3] At the core of this mission is a commitment to encourage evidence-based practices and the integration of traditional knowledge into mainstream health systems. This strategy reflects a global vision where AI plays a transformative role in healthcare delivery. One of the Ministry’s most innovative digital endeavors is the Ayush Grid, a unified digital framework designed to integrate the Ayush sector across multiple domains. The Ayush Grid is a secure, interoperable ecosystem that connects areas such as health care, research, education, regulation, and global outreach. This digital backbone aligns with national policies such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and international standards such as the India Enterprise Architecture (IndEA) and international standards such as the India Enterprise Architecture. The vision for the Ayush Grid is not only national but also global, creating a digital ecosystem where traditional practices can thrive in the modern age while meeting global health needs.[4] In this ecosystem, the My Ayush Integrated Services Portal (MAISP) plays a pivotal role. The MAISP serves as a comprehensive platform that connects stakeholders across various levels of the healthcare system, from government entities to grassroots wellness centers. MAISP connects seven major functional domains of the Ayush, beginning with health care, which includes platforms such as A-HMIS, A-HMIS Lite, Y-Break, and mYoga for healthcare delivery and workplace wellness. The capacity building domain integrates tools such as the National Ayush Mission (NAM) Portal, NGO Portal, PM GatiShakti Ayush Asset Mapping Tool, and Ayush Information Hub to strengthen institutional and human resource development. The Research and Development domain connects with the National Ayush Morbidity And Standardized Terminologies Electronic (NAMASTE) Portal, ARP, Ayusoft, and Ayush Clinical Case Repository (ACCR) Portal, promoting digitization of classical knowledge, clinical data sharing, and standardization of terminologies. Similarly, the medicinal plants domain includes the e-Charak Portal and Application. The Ayush Drug Administration domain incorporates e-Aushadhi, Ayush Suraksha, and the Ayush Supply Chain Management System, streamlining regulatory processes, enhancing safety monitoring, and ensuring transparency in medicine distribution. The education and awareness domain connects learning and wellness platforms such as Namaste Yoga, e-LMS, and the PG/UG Counselling dashboard, supporting training, Yoga promotion, and academic governance. The final domain, Global and Media Outreach, extends Ayush’s presence globally through portals such as the Ayush Global Portal, Ayush Next and Nivesh Saarthi, facilitating collaboration, media engagement, and international investment. AI IN HEALTH CARE: TRANSFORMING TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS AI is revolutionizing health care across the world, and the MoA is leveraging this technology to enhance the reach and quality of traditional Indian healthcare systems. Initiatives such as e-Charak (a platform facilitating information exchange among stakeholders in the medicinal plants sector), Nivesh Saarthi (a dedicated gateway for domestic and international investors in the Ayush sector), Y-Break Mobile App (a workplace wellness application promoting short yoga sessions to reduce stress and enhance productivity), ARP (a centralized repository of curated Ayush-based research publications), and eLMS (the Education Lifecycle Management System enabling dynamic interaction between students, academia, and practitioners) are being integrated with cutting-edge AI technologies to develop intelligent chatbots, recommendation systems, and advanced analytics frameworks that enhance user engagement, decision-making, and governance efficiency across the Ayush ecosystem. Furthermore, the Literature Chatbot, which is being developed using the Retrieval-Augmented Generation model, enables real-time access to ancient manuscripts and classical texts, making traditional knowledge readily available to modern practitioners and researchers. In addition, the MAISP Chatbot, integrated within the MAISP, serves as an intelligent interface for users to access domain-specific information across the Ayush, thereby enhancing user engagement and enabling seamless interaction with the diverse digital ecosystem of Ayush. The potential of AI extends beyond merely preserving traditional wisdom – it transforms this vast repository of knowledge into actionable, accessible, and globally relevant insights. In this context, AI becomes a means to revitalize ancient wisdom, translating it into actionable insights for the health challenges of today and tomorrow. AI FOR WELLNESS: INTEGRATING TRADITIONAL PRACTICES INTO THE DIGITAL HEALTH REVOLUTION The Ministry of Ayush’s AI-driven wellness initiatives demonstrate how digital technology can be employed to enhance the global understanding of traditional practices like Yoga. Yoga, in particular, has become a worldwide symbol of well-being, with millions of practitioners spanning every corner of the globe. AI holds the potential to tailor Yoga and wellness practices to individual health needs, moving beyond generic, one-size-fits-all approaches. In line with this, a Yoga Recommendation System is being developed to provide users with personalized guidance and support for their Yoga practice. This AI-powered assistant is designed to align individual health profiles with classical Yoga principles, enhancing both physiological outcomes and mental well-being. These AI-driven platforms are making wellness measurable and accessible to people, expanding the impact of traditional practices. EXPANDING DIGITAL REPOSITORIES UNDER THE AYUSH GRID As of July 2025, the Ayush digital repositories continue to strengthen the foundations of integrative health care through data-driven transformation. The e-LMS has emerged as a central knowledge repository, hosting over 111,044 registered students and 30,300 on-boarded faculty members, thereby promoting accessible digital education and capacity building across Ayush institutions. The ARP, serving as a repository of scientific evidence, now houses over 43,000 curated studies, underscoring the growing emphasis on evidence-based traditional medicine. The Ayush Health Data Repository, built through A-HMIS, has recorded over two crore patient registrations, offering valuable insights for policy formulation, service delivery, and research analytics. In addition, a repository of luminaries has been developed to document authentic biographies and contributions of eminent scholars, preserving the intellectual legacy of the Ayush systems. The Digitised Retrieval Application for Versatile Yardstick of Ayush (DRAVYA) Portal, developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), represents a major step in integrating traditional pharmacological wisdom with modern digital innovation.[5] Designed as an AI-ready knowledge base, it supports interoperability with the Ayush Grid and other national health databases. In its first phase, DRAVYA catalogs 100 key Ayurvedic substances, offering detailed profiles across Pharmacotherapeutics, Botany, Chemistry, Pharmacology, and safety parameters. By enabling intelligent data analysis and standardized information sharing, the repository aims to strengthen research, education, regulation, and global recognition of India’s rich medicinal heritage. AYURTECH: A NEW ERA OF PERSONALIZED HEALTH A cornerstone of the Ministry’s global health vision is the establishment of a center of Excellence in AyurTech, in collaboration with IIT Jodhpur. This initiative aims to develop precision health solutions that combine the scientific rigor of genomics with the wisdom of Ayurvedic practices. By creating evidence-based, personalized therapies that leverage AI and Machine Learning (ML) and digital health technologies, AyurTech is contributing to the development of next-generation healthcare solutions that are not only scientifically sound but also deeply rooted in traditional knowledge.[6] GLOBAL COLLABORATION: POSITIONING AYUSH ON THE WORLD STAGE The global recognition of the value of traditional medicine in the digital age is gaining momentum. The MoA is playing a key role in shaping this global discourse, especially in the context of AI and digital health. As a prominent player in the Global Initiative on AI for Health, co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), India is positioning itself as a thought leader in the integration of AI with traditional medicine. On July 11, 2025, the WHO released a technical brief titled “Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine,” which recognizes India’s pioneering innovation and implementation of AI in the traditional medicine sector. The MoA played a significant role as a topic driver in the development of this brief, contributing its expertise and experience in integrating digital technologies with traditional healthcare systems. This recognition marks an important milestone in positioning India as a global leader in the responsible and evidence-based application of AI to traditional medicine. Furthermore, the WHO’s 2025 update of the International Classification of Diseases-11th Revision (ICD-11) marked a historic milestone with the inclusion of a dedicated Traditional Medicine Module for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani. The groundwork for this achievement was laid through India’s NAMASTE Portal, which standardized terminologies and national morbidity codes – paving the way for global integration of traditional diagnostic systems. Ayush’s role in these global dialogs is also aligned with the WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health (2020–2025), which recognizes the transformative potential of AI in research, medicine, and public health. By advocating for AI’s role in traditional medicine, Ayush is helping to position India as a leader in promoting the integration of AI into holistic healthcare systems worldwide. BRIDGING TRADITION AND TECHNOLOGY The Ministry of Ayush’s initiatives demonstrate the transformative potential of AI in redefining traditional medicine for the digital age. By integrating AI with holistic health systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy, these efforts are enhancing accessibility, personalization, and global relevance of traditional practices. Platforms such as the Ayush Grid, MAISP, e-Charak, and Ayush Suraksha Portal illustrate how technology can ensure transparency, traceability, and evidence-based decision-making across the healthcare ecosystem. Through global collaborations and adherence to international standards, India is positioning itself as a leader in the responsible and innovative application of AI in traditional medicine. Ultimately, the convergence of AI and Ayush not only modernizes traditional wisdom but also supports a future of healthcare that is inclusive, efficient, and universally accessible, bridging tradition with technology to meet the evolving needs of global health. A GLOBAL HEALTH REVOLUTION The Ministry of Ayush’s initiatives underscore the transformative potential of AI in the realm of traditional medicine and digital innovation. Through its groundbreaking efforts, Ayush is not merely modernizing traditional practices; it is redefining the future of global healthcare. The fusion of AI and traditional medicine promises to democratize health care, making it more personalized, accessible, and effective on a global scale. As the world grapples with the challenges of a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, the Ministry’s work stands as a beacon of hope – where digital innovation amplifies tradition, and AI fosters a future where health is a universal right, grounded in the wisdom of past.