India’s leadership in shaping international food safety standards was globally appreciated during the 88th session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC88), held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, from July 14 to 18, 2025. Delegates commended India for spearheading the development of a group standard for whole millet grains, an initiative approved during the 47th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC47) last year.
The work is being chaired by India, with Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal as co-chairs, and its terms of reference were finalized during the 11th Session of the Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes (CCCPL11) in April 2025.
As an elected member of the Executive Committee, India actively participated in the session, which was inaugurated by Godfrey Magwenzi, Deputy Director-General and Director of Cabinet, FAO, and Dr. Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Control, WHO. The session was attended by Dr. Allan Azegele, Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Sarah Cahill, Secretary of the Commission, and other elected representatives from member countries.
India’s leadership in other standardisation work was also reviewed. The draft standards for fresh dates, developed under the 23rd Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV23) earlier this year, were critically reviewed and endorsed by the Executive Committee for consideration at the 48th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48), scheduled for November 2025. India will also serve as co-chair in the new work proposals for fresh turmeric and fresh broccoli.
India played a key role in finalising SMART Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the Codex Strategic Plan 2026–2031, recommending that monitoring indicators be outcome-based, measurable, and focused. India also presented details of its regional capacity-building programmes, which have supported neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste. These efforts were acknowledged by the FAO.
Further encouraging broader participation, India urged less active Codex member countries to utilize the Codex Trust Fund (CTF) for mentorship and twinning programmes. Drawing from its successful experience with Bhutan and Nepal, India proposed including such initiatives as indicators within the Codex strategic framework.
Indian delegation, comprising officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), ensured that India’s priorities and leadership in global food standards were effectively projected during the session.
