India’s pivotal role in shaping international food standards, particularly for millets, received significant appreciation at the 88th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC88), held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome. The session reviewed progress on key food standards, with India at the forefront of several initiatives. A press release on this development was issued on July 18, 2025.
The Executive Committee lauded India’s leadership in developing a group standard for whole millet grains, a standard that was originally approved during Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC47) last year. India chairs this critical work, supported by Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal as co-chairs. The terms of reference for the millet standard were finalized in April 2025, at the 11th Session of the Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes (CCCPL11).
India, an elected member of the CCEXEC, actively participated in the session, which was inaugurated by the Deputy Director General and Director of Cabinet, FAO, and the Assistant Director-General, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Control, WHO.
Beyond millets, CCEXEC88 also reviewed India’s work on new standards for fresh dates, a recommendation from the 23rd session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV23) held in February this year. The Executive Committee commended the efforts of both the CCFFV and India in finalizing these standards, endorsing them for further approval at the 48th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48) slated for November 2025. Looking ahead, India will serve as co-chair in new work proposals to develop standards for fresh turmeric and fresh broccoli.
India’s delegation, representing the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), actively contributed to discussions on the monitoring framework for the Codex Strategic Plan 2026–2031. During these deliberations, SMART Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were finalized for endorsement at CAC48, with India advocating for outcome-based and measurable monitoring indicators.
The country also highlighted its capacity building programme for neighboring nations, including Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Timor Leste, a program that has garnered recognition from the FAO. India has been chairing the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) since its inception in 2014, further cementing its leadership in this domain.
India also encouraged less active Codex member countries to utilize the Codex Trust Fund (CTF) for mentorship and twinning programs, drawing from its own successful CTF-supported training and capacity-building initiatives with Bhutan and Nepal. India proposed that such training efforts be recognized as indicators toward achieving strategic goals, underscoring its commitment to global collaboration and knowledge sharing in food standards.