(MENAFN- Live Mint)

India wants to make sure it gets its mud baths right.

Mud baths, a traditional treatment that has exfoliating and peripheral circulation benefits, have gained popularity across the world-from Bali in Indonesia to Mugla in Turkey to Varkala in India-in recent years as millions, the young and the old alike, flock to the therapy as part of their wellness regimen.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the ministry of consumer affairs, is finalising standards for mud baths and other forms of naturopathy treatment, two government officials said. These include protocols for hydrotherapy, massage therapy, diet and nutrition therapy, fasting, yoga and pranayama, sun therapy, chromotherapy, acupressure and reflexology, herbal therapy, magnet therapy and lifestyle counselling.

The intent is clear: as people flock to spas, wellness resorts and healthcare destinations in search of these centuries-old naturopathy therapies, there should be standards on how the treatment is carried through with uniformity, the officials said. Both didn't want their names taken in this report.

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The move is aimed at ensuring safety, consistency and scientific credibility for a therapy rooted in India's ancient medical traditions while also creating employment opportunities. Standardisation is expected to create opportunities for rural and small-scale wellness centres, especially in states such as Kerala, Uttarakhand and Karnataka, where ayurveda and, increasingly, naturopathy attract foreign visitors.

Natural standards

Naturopathy differs from ayurveda and other traditional medicine in that all its treatments are centred around elements of nature-water, air, earth, and the sun-and how they are used (warm or cold, for instance) to regulate functions of the body. It emphasises on diet and includes yoga as as part of its approach to wellness.

The BIS's draft standard, titled 'Naturopathy Full Mud Bath Therapy-Code of Practice' lays out detailed guidelines for the therapy room, equipment, human resources, procedural steps, precautions and disposal protocols. For instance, under“application procedure", the draft document is detailed:“Therapy shall begin by applying a mud paste, starting at the soles of the feet and moving upward to the head (that is, from lower extremities to the upper part of the body and ending at the head region." The mud paste should be applied uniformly with approximately half-inch thickness, it stresses.

Mint has seen the document.

As per the first official among the two cited above, the new norms would require naturopathy therapy centres to have therapy rooms with ample sunlight, non-skid floors, adequate ventilation and attached bathing facilities-a far cry from how small, mom-and-pop treatment centres operate today aiming especially for the backpacker foreign tourist.

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If implemented in full, consumers stand to benefit from the new standards through assurance of safety and quality. The proposed draft also mandates informed consent, ensuring that individuals are aware of potential risks and alternatives before undergoing treatment, while procedural guidelines protect against unsafe practices.

Tourism impact

For therapists, the standard would provide clarity on qualifications, equipment usage, and hygiene protocols, potentially reducing professional liability, the second official added.

The government's decision to draft standards for naturopathy and mud therapy comes at a time when wellness tourism is emerging as one of India's fastest-growing travel segments. The Indian wellness tourism market is valued at $27.92 billion and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.48% to reach $38.22 billion by 2030, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), a body under the ministry of commerce and industry.

Experts said the move could also help India compete with global wellness destinations like Phuket and Bali, where standardisation and certification have long been part of policy support.

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“India's rich heritage of ayurveda, yoga and indigenous therapies has often suffered from inconsistent quality due to the absence of uniform standards," said Ravi Gosain, president of travel industry group Indian Association of Tour Operators. Standards will help India strengthen its position as a leading destination for holistic wellness and rejuvenation.

Aashish Gupta, chief executive officer (CEO) of Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality, another industry group, said the standards play to India's unique advantage in natural and alternative treatments.“Combined with our world-class hospitality, rich tourism destinations and improving transport infrastructure, this can provide a major boost to high-value inbound tourism."

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