India to host ASEAN Countries Conference on Traditional Medicines on 20th July 2023

Why is in news? India to host ASEAN Countries Conference on Traditional Medicines on 20th July 2023

The Ministry of Ayush with support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Mission to ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat is gearing up to host the Conference on Traditional Medicines for ASEAN Countries on 20th July 2023.

The Conference on Traditional Medicines aims to strengthen the platform between India and ASEAN Countries to share their best practices and draw a roadmap for future cooperation in the field of Traditional Medicines.

The multi-dimensional relationship between India and ASEAN stands on a strong foundation of shared geographical, historical, and civilizational links which is far older that goes back to more than two millennia.

The Ayush sector has grown multi-fold in the last 9 years since the year 2014, when Prime Minister elevated the then Department of Ayush under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to an independent Ministry of Ayush.

Today the Ministry is engaged with many top class International organizations from UK, USA, Japan, Brazil, Germany as well as National organizations like CSIR, DST, DBT, IITs etc. to undertake high quality research on Ayush systems in various Non-Communicable disease conditions like Diabetes Mellitus, Cancer, Mental Health as well as infectious diseases like Covid.

The ASEAN conference will provide a platform to share the research outcomes of various projects implemented by the Ministry of Ayush. Similarly, ASEAN countries will also share their experiences.”

About ASEAN:

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration).

Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

Objectives of ASEAN:

To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations.

To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields.

To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilisation of agriculture and industries, the expansion of their trade, the improvement of transportation and communications facilities and the raising of the living standards of peoples.

To promote Southeast Asian studies.

To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organisations.