TRADITIONAL MEDICINES: INDIA, MALAYSIA NEED JT VENTURES

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 -- The Indian and Malaysian private sectors need to
explore the posibility of establishing joint ventures in the field of
traditional systems of medicine to break into the global market.

Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia Ashok K. Kantha said they should not
only make the products for their respective economies, but also needed to reach
out to third countries.

"India and Malaysia can derive maximum benefit from each other’s experience
and knowledge by moving from traditional systems of medicine to integrated
medicine since both countries are among 12 countries in the world recognised for
their rich and diverse bio-resources," he said at the opening of a day-long
Conference on Indian Traditional Medicine here Tuesday.

The conference was followed by a buyer-seller meet, which is being held for
the first time here.

India has sent an 18-member team, which includes enterprenuers involved in
the manufacture of traditional Indian medicine.

Kantha said India had vast experience in traditional systems of medicine,
namely Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, with the
traditional medicine industry in India boasting an annual turnover of US$2
billion (US$1 = RM3.5).

He said India and Malaysia were in the process of finalising a memorandum of
understanding for cooperation in the field of traditional systems of medicine.

-- BERNAMA