India’s growing influence in the global wellness ecosystem was on full display as the 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) recorded widespread participation across major international cities, reinforcing the country’s position as a leading exporter of holistic health and wellness practices.
Held under the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” this year’s celebrations extended to more than 2,500 venues worldwide, with over 210 Indian missions and embassies coordinating events in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The main event in India was hosted in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Market observers note that the increasing adoption of yoga internationally continues to support the expansion of India’s wellness, Ayurveda and cultural outreach sectors. In the United States, large gatherings were held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and New York’s Times Square, where yoga expert H.R. Nagendra led participants. Ayurveda information centres were also established to promote traditional Indian wellness practices.
Strong participation was also reported from Shanghai, Toronto, Birmingham, Germany, Sweden and Australia. In Buenos Aires, a yoga festival at Olympic Park included dedicated sessions for persons with disabilities alongside exhibitions showcasing Indian cuisine and traditional attire.
The Common Yoga Protocol, translated into the six official United Nations languages, enabled participants from diverse cultural backgrounds to practice together. The scale of participation indicates that yoga has evolved beyond an annual observance into a mainstream component of global wellness markets, workplace health initiatives and lifestyle choices, further enhancing India’s soft-power influence worldwide.