The paper explores the complex intersection of patentability and access to AYUSH (Ayurvedic, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) medicines in India, delving into the existing criteria for patenting these traditional remedies and the challenges associated with obtaining such patents. The study then offers a comprehensive analysis of how the grant of patents to AYUSH medicines impacts their availability and affordability. With a significant portion of the Indian population relying on AYUSH medicines for healthcare, the consequences of restricted access are of utmost concern. The paper will conclude by suggesting some measures that could be taken to strike a balance between the need to protect innovation and equal access to basic medicines, which the Indian society has been dependent on for ages.