Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, chaired the 10th meeting of the Empowered Committee for Animal Health (ECAH) on 16 April 2026. The meeting was organised under the aegis of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) and was vice-chaired by Secretary, DAHD, Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar. It was attended by Scientific Secretary Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini; Secretary, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESEARCH (DHR) M/O Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, Dr Rajiv Bahl; Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Dr Rajesh Gokhale; and other senior officials from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, DBT, ICAR- Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Office of the PSA, the Veterinary Council of India, and domain experts. Shri Gangwar highlighted India’s progress in building a technology-driven animal health ecosystem under the One Health framework, emphasising the shift from disease control to eradication of FMD and PPR, supported by improved transparency through platforms such as NDLM and Bharat Pashudhan. He noted that over 133 crore FMD vaccinations since 2020, along with sustained PPR efforts, have significantly reduced outbreaks. The Committee reviewed progress across vaccination programmes, regulatory reforms, laboratory strengthening, and surveillance systems, while noting enhanced diagnostic capacity under the Pandemic Fund project. It appreciated reforms such as expedited approvals through the NANDI-SUGAM portal and ongoing work on a national animal feed framework. Key priorities identified include preparedness for emerging diseases, strengthened surveillance and infrastructure mapping, and enhanced public-private collaboration under the One Health approach. Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/gennFqUR Sangeeta Agarwal