The Ayush sector is no longer a peripheral cultural inheritance but a high-growth services economy. Examine in light of recent estimates, and discuss the constraints to realising its 2047 potential.

The Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) surveyed 15,914 establishments across all six Ayush systems. It made the first estimate of India's Ayush services economy: US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25, growing at a 16.91% CAGR since FY2022-23 [1]. The data largely support the claim. Structural gaps, however, could cap the projected US$216–318 billion by 2047 [1].

Evidence of a high-growth services economy

• Scale: Ayurveda alone earns US$17.73 bn, about 48% of the total [1].
• Market-driven structure: standalone clinics (US$16.21 bn) and day-care centres (US$10.13 bn) earn over 71% of revenue [1].
• Preventive-care demand: the wellness segment is growing at a 21.29% CAGR, and yoga-centre revenue rose about 75% in two years [1].
• Jobs and gender: the sector supports 1.76 million livelihoods, and 43% of its workers are women [1].
• Global outreach: Ayush Medical Value Travel (MVT) earned US$1.77 bn [1]. The Ayush Visa (2023) [3] and BIS adoption of ISO 22525 under Heal in India support this [2].
• Caveat: the figure measures revenue, not value added, and the growth trend covers only two years [1].

Constraints to realising the 2047 potential

• Safety and evidence gaps: the Standing Committee on Health (2024) flagged high metal content in some medicines. It sought post-marketing surveillance and international standards [4].
• Regulatory uncertainty: Rule 170, Drugs Rules, 1945 controls misleading ASU advertisements, but the Supreme Court stayed its removal and the matter is pending. Pharmacovigilance centres can report violations, but only states can act on them [5].
• Weak public delivery: under the National Ayush Mission, over 69% of integrated Ayush hospitals are still under construction. Only 65% of the planned wellness centres have been set up [4].
• Fragmentation: most clinics are small and unaccredited. NABH/ISO accreditation roughly doubles the odds of attracting foreign patients, and a website raises them 3.6 times [1].
• Small global base: MVT is under 5% of revenue [1]. Only 361 Ayush visas had been issued by December 2024 [3].
• Global acceptance: the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 notes weak research methods and differing national regulations [6].

The estimates show that Ayush has moved from heritage to a dynamic, job-rich services economy. Several steps would help it grow on a sound footing:

• an R&D component within the National Ayush Mission
• post-marketing surveillance
• accreditation support for small clinics
• aligning Indian standards with the WHO strategy [6]

Growth led by evidence can make Ayush a pillar of Viksit Bharat@2047 and SDG 3 (good health and well-being).