PM Modi to Unveil World’s First Digital Traditional Medicine Library at WHO Global Summit

In a landmark moment for global healthcare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the world’s first Digital Traditional Medicine Library at the upcoming WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. Officials say the initiative will position India at the forefront of preserving, digitising, and globalising traditional healing knowledge.

A Global First in Traditional Knowledge

The Digital Traditional Medicine Library will serve as a unified online repository featuring millions of manuscripts, research papers, classical texts, plant-based formulations, traditional treatment practices, and indigenous healing systems from around the world.

Once launched, the platform will become free and permanently accessible to researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public across all nations.

“This library will become a global lighthouse for traditional health wisdom,” a senior AYUSH official remarked, calling it the most ambitious knowledge-digitisation effort ever undertaken in the field.

India Leads the Shift Towards Integrative Healthcare

The initiative stems from Prime Minister Modi’s call at the BRICS Summit to create a worldwide research resource that preserves ancient medical systems while opening them to scientific exploration.

World Health Organization officials have praised India’s leadership, especially in merging digital technology and AI with traditional medicine, ensuring the knowledge is both protected and scientifically accessible.

What the Library Will Contain

The digital archive is expected to house over 2.5 million documents, covering:

• Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy

• Chinese, African, Arab, Persian, and Latin American traditional systems

• Plant-based pharmacopoeia

• Classical manuscripts and digitised palm-leaf texts

• Peer-reviewed research on traditional medicine

• Cross-country comparative studies

Experts say the project will help prevent biopiracy, ensure transparent documentation, and promote evidence-based integration with modern medical systems.

Global Summit to Witness Unprecedented Participation

The WHO Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi, is expected to see participation from over 100 countries, including health ministers, researchers, and traditional knowledge custodians.

The launch of the digital library is expected to be the highlight of the event, symbolising a global transition toward integrative, patient-centric health systems.

A Milestone for the Future of Healthcare

Public health experts believe the initiative will set a new benchmark for how nations preserve and share traditional knowledge. By combining ancient wisdom with modern digital infrastructure, India aims to make traditional medicine more research-friendly, accessible, and globally relevant.

“This is not just about heritage — it’s about the future of global health,” said an advisor involved in the project.