Last Updated on February 18, 2026 1:27 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN / HEALTH DESK
The third international AYUSH conference and expo concluded at the Dubai World Trade Centre, drawing over 1,500 delegates and nearly 20,000 visitors from 30 countries for three days of scientific sessions, policy dialogue and cultural programmes. The biennial event, following editions in 2017 and 2024, was organised by the Science India Forum and the World Ayurveda Foundation with support from India’s Ministry of AYUSH and the Indian missions in the UAE.
The valedictory session was attended by Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant and minister of state for AYUSH Pratap Rao Jadhav. Jadhav said participation from 30 countries reflected growing global confidence in integrative healthcare but stressed that expansion “must be structured and responsible,” underscoring the need for quality assurance, pharmacovigilance and scientific rigour. “This conference must not end as an event. It must translate into action,” he said, calling for joint research, academic exchanges, industry investment and regulatory cooperation. He described AYUSH as a blend of India’s civilisational legacy and modern policy commitment.
Sawant invited global institutions and investors to collaborate in integrative healthcare, noting the need for systems that are preventive, sustainable and holistic. He urged that the Dubai outcomes lead to “sustainable partnerships, joint research initiatives, educational exchange and policy alignment.”
Conference secretary general VL Shyam said more than 100 volunteers coordinated 62 scientific sessions featuring nearly 400 speakers, alongside workshops on research writing and marma therapy. The next edition is scheduled for 2028.
Held under the theme “Evidence-based AYUSH interventions for mind body health,” the conference featured 16 plenary sessions with 60 international speakers on topics including artificial intelligence in AYUSH, research quality, medicinal botanicals and integration in the UAE. Ten discipline-specific sessions, along with conclaves on veterinary care and agroecology, were also conducted. Of over 1,200 research abstracts received, 352 oral papers and 200 posters were presented across 46 sessions after peer review.An international delegate assembly of 100 experts from 20 countries released a white paper on AYUSH interventions for mind body health, covering mental health, metabolic disorders, women and child health, oncology, autoimmune diseases and healthy ageing..
An AYUSH film festival featured 15 entries, with “Wellness beyond walls” by Dr Arun winning best film and “Beyond restless” by Dr Neethu Nicholas receiving second best. The event also saw a partnership between the UAE Sports for All Federation and the UAE Yoga Committee to promote yoga integration and research collaboration. Federation president Ahmed Ibrahim Musabi presented a memento to Jadhav.