INDIA-INDONESIA: THE PROSPECT OF AYURVEDA AND JAMU PARTNERSHIP

A new paradigm of cooperation is developing between India and Indonesia in bioresource management, innovative farming, and renewable energy, complementing traditional sectors like defence, bilateral trade, and other strategic partnerships.

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Notably, some seaweed harvesting companies facing regulatory challenges in India have found it easier to operate from Indonesia, illustrating how these emerging fields offer practical solutions and opportunities for collaboration.

This new wave of cooperation promises to strengthen and bridge gaps in bilateral ties, enhancing both nations' capacities to address shared challenges and foster sustainable growth.

Indonesia's 1700 islands' biodiversity is one of the richest in the world, with an estimated more than 30,000 plant species and millions of maritime resources, of which over only 2,000 have documented medicinal uses. This incredible natural wealth has given rise to a unique traditional medicine system called "Jamu". Passed through generations, Jamu represents a traditional healthcare system, a cultural practice deeply embedded in Indonesian identity, and the local wisdom they proudly call "kearifan lokal". The Jamu extractors and growers have been in this profession for generations and have the expertise to extract, process and prepare the final applicable form of the medicine. They produce medicine, work as vendors, and roam around the populace, diagnosing ailments and then going for treatment. This Jamu community, popularly called "ahli Jamu or tukang Jammu", have long provided people with natural remedies for various ailments, and fevers to chronic conditions such as arthritis, eczematic and fungal issues and various tropical complexities. However, as Indonesia advances economically and socially, the sustainability of this tradition, which involves millions of skilled human resources, faces significant threats. Indonesia's traditional medicine industry substantially depends upon traditional Jamu extractors and vendors.