India Pushes Technology-Led Animal Health Overhaul Under One Health Framework

India is stepping up its effort to build a more modern, technology-driven animal health system, with the government signalling a shift from routine disease control toward long-term disease eradication. At the latest meeting of the Empowered Committee for Animal Health, officials highlighted that animal health is being increasingly integrated with the broader One Health approach, which links human, animal and environmental health in a single surveillance and response framework.

The government said digital tools are now becoming central to this transition. According to PIB, platforms such as NDLM and Bharat Pashudhan are being used to improve vaccination delivery, record verification and service transparency, while also making the livestock health system more accountable and easier to monitor at scale. A related PIB release on a national review workshop said the Centre is also pressing states to ensure seamless data integration and real-time uploading of vaccination and artificial insemination records through the Bharat Pashudhan portal.

Disease control remains the core operational focus of the current push. PIB said India has administered more than 133 crore vaccinations against Foot and Mouth Disease since 2020, contributing to a sharp fall in disease prevalence and outbreaks. In the case of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), outbreaks have fallen from 98 in 2019 to 29 in 2025, reflecting the impact of sustained national vaccination efforts.

The animal health push is also being backed by stronger laboratories and faster regulation. The committee reviewed the strengthening of Central and Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratories under the Pandemic Fund project to support surveillance and diagnostics. It also welcomed process reforms and integration with the NANDI-SUGAM portal to speed up approvals for veterinary drugs and vaccines, while noting that the government is working on a national framework for animal feed regulation to address legislative gaps.

Alongside these national reforms, the Centre is also trying to improve state-level execution. In a separate review workshop held on 17 April 2026, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying asked states and Union Territories to accelerate work on vaccination, artificial insemination, livestock reforms, and digital reporting, and to align funding and implementation with their livestock development plans. The same meeting also reviewed livestock insurance, fodder planning, influenza preparedness, FMD-free zones and stronger district diagnostic laboratories.

Taken together, the latest review suggests that India is trying to move beyond a fragmented veterinary response system toward a more connected architecture built on vaccination scale, digital traceability, lab capacity, regulatory reform and Centre-state coordination. The official message from the committee was that the end goal is a transparent, farmer-centric and globally aligned animal health system that supports Atmanirbhar Bharat and strengthens India’s export potential in livestock-related sectors.

Reference:

PIB – Empowered Committee for Animal Health reviews progress in strengthening animal health systems
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2253052

PIB – Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying holds national meeting/workshop on SASCI, Artificial Insemination, Vaccination, and Bharat Pashudhan Portal
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2252932