In a significant step toward strengthening India’s animal health ecosystem, the 9th meeting of the Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH) was held in New Delhi under the aegis of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) on July 24, 2025. The meeting, chaired by Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, and co-chaired by DAHD Secretary Alka Upadhyaya, brought together top health experts and key stakeholders to review the country’s progress and future roadmap in managing animal diseases.
During the meeting, Prof. Sood praised the Department’s proactive approach and called for intensified awareness drives, especially on crucial issues like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Officials also outlined key policy reforms to ease regulations around veterinary drugs, vaccines, and feed additives, aimed at ensuring wider access to quality animal health products.
According to government data shared at the meeting, over 124 crore doses of the FMD vaccine have been administered so far, along with nearly 29 crore PPR vaccine doses, 4.77 crore for Brucellosis, and close to 88 lakh for Classical Swine Fever. These vaccination efforts are being digitally recorded through the Bharat Pashudhan app. The government is also working to establish FMD-Free Zones across nine states and has launched a pilot initiative to track vaccine cold chains via the Animal Vaccine Intelligence Network (AVIN).
All vaccines under these national programmes are developed and manufactured indigenously, ensuring self-reliance and supporting India’s ability to export vaccines to other countries.
In a major development, India’s first Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC), located at the RVC Centre & College in Meerut Cantonment, has been endorsed by World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). This global recognition facilitates the international movement of Indian sport horses. Additionally, 44 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) compartments have been approved, reinforcing India’s capacity to maintain biosecure and export-ready poultry production systems.
India’s global standing was further enhanced with ICAR-NIHSAD in Bhopal being recognised as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility by both WOAH and FAO, a distinction shared by only six institutions worldwide. Laboratories in Hisar and Lucknow also received international recognition for their specialised diagnostic capabilities.
To boost pandemic preparedness, two national laboratory networks have been established: Indian Network of Genomic Surveillance (INGeS) and Indian Network on Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) and Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs).
Efforts are ongoing to secure NABL accreditation for several central and state-level animal disease diagnostic laboratories. A new digital platform titled “Rate My Lab” is also in development to promote transparency and performance benchmarking in diagnostic services.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from PSA, ICMR, CDSCO, DBT, Ministry of Ayush, and other key institutions.
