India Strengthens Animal Health System at 9th ECAH Meet, Marks Key Milestones

The 9th meeting of the Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH) was convened on 24th July 2025 in New Delhi, under the aegis of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The high-level meeting was chaired by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, and Mrs. Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, DAHD, served as Vice-Chair. The gathering brought together representatives from a broad cross-section of key stakeholders, including officials from ICMR, CDSCO, DBT, Ministry of Ayush, and senior scientists from leading veterinary and life sciences institutions.

The roundtable marked a major step in India's mission to build a resilient, self-reliant, and globally integrated animal health ecosystem, and reviewed the progress of regulatory reforms, vaccination programs, and technological advancements in veterinary infrastructure.

Chairperson Highlights: Empowering Livestock Farmers, Strengthening Outreach

In his opening remarks, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood commended DAHD for its dynamic initiatives and emphasized the need for greater awareness among livestock farmers, especially through media outreach and grassroots communication strategies. He underlined the urgency of spreading knowledge on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccination and the emerging threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which poses a serious public health and economic challenge.

Prof. Sood also called for a multi-stakeholder, One Health approach, with greater integration between scientific research, regulatory agencies, field-level delivery mechanisms, and farmer education.

Major Milestones: India’s Vaccine Success and Digitization Push

The Department reported significant achievements under its National Disease Control Programmes, notably:

• FMD Vaccines Administered: 124.10 crore doses

• PPR Vaccines: 28.89 crore doses

• Brucellosis Vaccines: 4.77 crore doses

• CSF Vaccines: 0.88 crore doses

These vaccines are indigenously developed and manufactured, reflecting India’s strides towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. Additionally, India is now exporting vaccines to several countries, showcasing its growing role in global animal health diplomacy.

To enhance data capture and monitoring, DAHD has implemented the Bharat Pashudhan app, enabling real-time digital vaccination records. In a pioneering move, the department has launched pilot projects under the Animal Vaccine Intelligence Network (AVIN) for cold chain monitoring, ensuring potency and safety throughout distribution.

Advancing Disease-Free Zones and Biosecure Compartments

In a landmark development, India secured WOAH endorsement for its first Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC) on 3rd July 2025, located at the Remount Veterinary Corps Centre & College in Meerut Cantonment. This opens the door for international trade and movement of Indian sport horses, enhancing India’s stature in equine management and breeding.

The poultry sector has also made substantial gains, with 44 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) compartments approved by DAHD, strengthening India’s readiness to meet global biosecurity norms and boost poultry exports.

International Recognitions and Laboratory Advancements

DAHD also celebrated major recognitions from international bodies:

• ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal: Recognized by WOAH and FAO as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF)—placing India among the top six countries globally with such high-containment animal disease labs.

• ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar: Recognized by WOAH as a reference lab for Equine Piroplasmosis.

• ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow: Recognized for Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome caused by Aphanomyces invadans.

These certifications reaffirm India’s global leadership in animal health research, surveillance, and containment capacity.

Pandemic Fund Project: Expanding Diagnostic Capacity

A key component of India’s future preparedness under the Pandemic Fund Project includes the development of two critical lab networks:

1. Indian Network of Genomic Surveillance (INGeS) – 11 labs

2. Indian Network on Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) & Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) – 19 labs

To standardize diagnostics and improve quality, DAHD is pursuing NABL accreditation for:

• 6 Central/Regional Disease Diagnostic Labs (CDDLs/RDDLs)

• 17 State Animal Disease Diagnostic Labs

To enhance transparency and benchmarking, a self-assessment tool titled “Rate My Lab” is being developed. This platform will enable laboratories to voluntarily evaluate their operations against key quality indicators, accelerating lab modernization and performance improvement.

Vision Ahead: One Health, Global Cooperation, and Farmer-Centric Policy

The 9th ECAH meeting concluded with a resounding affirmation of India’s strategic direction in animal health—rooted in domestic innovation, international standards compliance, and farmer-first governance.

Secretary Alka Upadhyaya reiterated the government’s commitment to simplifying regulatory frameworks for veterinary products, ensuring better market access, and strengthening surveillance networks to prevent future zoonotic outbreaks.

With coordinated efforts across ministries and scientific agencies, India is well on its way to becoming a global powerhouse in animal health systems, blending policy innovation with grassroots delivery to protect both livestock and livelihoods.