According to message from Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis Health and Education Centre, a member society of WFAS, Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an order on 21 February 2019 recognizing acupuncture as an independent System of Healthcare/Therapy, on which basis regulatory rules of acupuncture are demanded. This marks a major breakthrough in legal recognition of acupuncture in India by enhancing its status and role in the country's healthcare system. “A big move and biggest milestone achieved in the history of acupuncture in India”, commented by Dr Inderjit Singh Dhingra, Director of Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis Health and Education Centre.

In a 2003 Order issued also by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, acupuncture was recognized as a Mode of Therapy instead of a System of Medicine, allowing its use by registered doctors of western medicine and Indian traditional medicines while banning full time Bachelor and Master's degree courses on acupuncture. After the 2019 Order, degree and diploma courses of acupuncture are expected to appear in India. The new Order also required to set up an Apex Committee on Acupuncture, which will have to submit a final report to the Government within three months from its first meeting to suggest guidelines for promotion and regulation of acupuncture, steps for implementation of the guidelines as well as for reimbursement for acupuncture.