Last Updated on February 15, 2026 7:11 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
WEB DESK
Traditional medicine and alternative healing systems took centre stage in Dubai on Sunday as global wellness brands, practitioners and healthcare institutions gathered for the 3rd International AYUSH Conference and Exhibition 2026 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The three-day event, which runs until February 17, seeks to highlight ancient medical traditions and their contemporary applications. AYUSH comprises Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, and the conference theme is “Evidence-Based AYUSH Interventions in Mind-Body Health”.
Inaugurating the conference, India’s Minister of State for AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav, said the country’s traditional knowledge systems are now central to global health discussions. “At a time when the world faces increasing stress, mental health challenges and lifestyle-related disorders, AYUSH systems offer holistic and evidence-based solutions that emphasise the harmonious relationship between body, mind and environment,” he said.
Jadhav noted that a draft white paper on AYUSH-based mind-body interventions will be deliberated at the conference. “Once finalised, this white paper will contribute meaningfully to global policymaking and serve as a knowledge repository for governments, health institutions and academic bodies working in traditional and integrative medicine,” he said. He also referred to the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held in New Delhi in December 2025, which reaffirmed global commitment to evidence generation and integration of traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare.
Recently announced free trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, he added, open new opportunities for AYUSH products, services, education and research, while the UAE’s recognition of Ayurveda and Unani strengthens bilateral cooperation in building an integrated global health system.
More than 120 exhibitors representing the full spectrum of AYUSH systems are participating, alongside pharmaceutical companies, research institutions and equipment manufacturers. Wellness resorts, medical tourism providers, insurers and herbal traders are also present, with organisers expecting over 100,000 visitors from around the world.
The programme includes scientific sessions, research presentations, policy dialogues and an international delegation meeting, as well as a film festival, exhibition and cultural evening. The event aligns with the World Health Organization’s global traditional medicine strategy.
The conference is organised by Science India Forum UAE in collaboration with the World Ayurveda Foundation, under the patronage of India’s Ministry of AYUSH and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
Among those present at the inaugural session were Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH; Dr Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE; Satish Kumar Sivan, Consul General of India in Dubai; spiritual leader Mohanji; Vivekananda Pai of VIBHA; Siddharth Balachandran patron SIF, and Satish Krishnan, president Science India Forum UAE; and Ahmed Ibrahim Musabih of the UAE Yoga Committee.