Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met with the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to discuss the future of traditional medicine in global healthcare.

The meeting, held on the final day of the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi, focused on the "immense potential" of ancient healing systems to complement modern medicine.

Writing on social media following the talks, Modi emphasized that while traditional practices offer significant benefits for "holistic health and preventive care," they must be supported by rigorous scientific validation.

"We underlined the importance of evidence-based practices and global cooperation," the Prime Minister said. The statement reflects a growing international push to ensure that treatments like Ayurveda and herbal medicine meet the same safety and efficacy standards as conventional pharmaceuticals.

The summit comes as India continues to position itself as a global leader in the sector. The country already hosts the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Gujarat, a facility designed to harness technology and data to standardise traditional health systems.

Dr.Tedros praised India's leadership, noting that "tradition and innovation can progress together" to address modern health challenges and bridge gaps in healthcare access worldwide.