In the works, first international declaration on big cats – in New Delhi

What Happened

• A landmark international agreement called the "New Delhi Declaration" is being finalised ahead of a Global Big Cats Summit scheduled for June 1, 2026, in New Delhi.
• If adopted, it will become the first-ever international declaration devoted exclusively to the conservation of the world's seven principal big cat species.
• The declaration is being prepared under the framework of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), headquartered in New Delhi, which India launched in April 2023.
• The IBCA secretariat has circulated a draft of the declaration to its 24 member countries and 95 range countries — nations where at least one of the seven big cat species exists in the wild.
• The IBCA formally became a legal intergovernmental organisation on January 23, 2025, after ratification by its founding members.
• The summit is being positioned as a demonstration of India's growing leadership in global environmental diplomacy, scheduled a day after the India-Africa Forum Summit (May 31, 2026).

Static Topic Bridges

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

The International Big Cat Alliance was launched on April 9, 2023, during the 50th anniversary celebrations of Project Tiger. The IBCA is an intergovernmental organisation headquartered in New Delhi, dedicated to the conservation of the world's seven principal big cats. The Union Cabinet approved a budget of ₹150 crore for its first five years (2023–2028). It became a formal legal intergovernmental entity on January 23, 2025. The seven big cats it covers are: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.

India's Big Cat Conservation Record

India hosts five of the seven big cat species covered by the IBCA: the tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, and cheetah (reintroduced). India's domestic conservation achievements — particularly Project Tiger's success in increasing tiger numbers from approximately 1,827 (2014) to 3,682 (2022 census) — have given it credibility as a global conservation leader. The reintroduction of cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa beginning in September 2022 under Project Cheetah added a sixth species to India's conservation portfolio.

Project Tiger and the National Tiger Conservation Authority

Project Tiger was launched on April 1, 1973, with the goal of conserving the Bengal tiger and its habitat. The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006, created the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as a statutory body to administer tiger reserves and coordinate conservation efforts. Tiger reserves operate on a core-buffer model: the core zone is a strict protected area where human activities are prohibited, while the buffer zone allows limited community use. The success of Project Tiger has been cited as a model for the IBCA's approach to big cat conservation globally.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

CITES is a multilateral treaty that regulates international trade in wildlife to prevent overexploitation. Adopted in 1963 and entered into force in 1975, it classifies species into three appendices based on trade threat levels. All seven big cat species covered by the IBCA are listed in CITES Appendix I (species threatened with extinction; commercial trade prohibited) or Appendix II. However, CITES addresses trade, not habitat loss or human-wildlife conflict — the leading threats to most big cats. The IBCA and the New Delhi Declaration are intended to fill this gap with a dedicated conservation framework.

Key Facts & Data

• IBCA launched: April 9, 2023 (50th anniversary of Project Tiger)
• IBCA legal status: Formal intergovernmental organisation since January 23, 2025
• Budget: ₹150 crore for 2023–2028
• Member countries: 24; Range countries: 95
• Seven big cats: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, Puma
• New Delhi Declaration: First-ever international agreement dedicated to all seven big cat species
• Global Big Cats Summit: June 1, 2026, New Delhi
• India hosts 5 of 7 IBCA big cats: Tiger, Asiatic lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah (reintroduced)
• India's tiger population: ~3,682 (2022) — approximately 75% of global wild tigers
• Cheetah reintroduction: September 17, 2022, Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh
• Asiatic lion census (2020): ~674 individuals, found only in Gir, Gujarat
• All seven species are CITES Appendix I listed (commercial trade prohibited)
• Summit scheduled one day after India-Africa Forum Summit (May 31, 2026)