Ahead of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit in June, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said one of the key outcomes of the summit will be adoption of the Delhi Declaration on big cat conservation, which is slated to be the first global declaration on big cat conservation.
During the launch of the IBCA logo and website, Yadav said the Delhi declaration will be a unified global commitment that will articulate shared priorities, strengthen transboundary cooperation and promote a landscape based approach for the conservation of big cats.
The IBCA, an inter-governmental international organisation headquartered in India, has been established for the conservation of seven big cats – lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma.
Yadav said the summit is strategically significant as it will strengthen international partnerships, promote South-South cooperation and inspire collective action across big cat range countries.
“IBCA reflects India’s belief that conservation challenges must be addressed collectively through cooperation, knowledge sharing and mutual support. The upcoming IBCA summit in June 2026 will be a defining moment. It will bring together heads of states, heads of government, experts and partners from across the world to delegate on the future of big cat conservation. The summit is strategically significant as it will strengthen international partnerships, promote South-South cooperation, and inspire collective action across big cat range countries,” he said.
The summit will be followed by technical sessions on June 1 and 2, with participation from senior government officials, conservation practitioners, experts and partner organisations from 95 big cat range countries.
Highlighting India’s journey in big cat conservation, Yadav said it has been marked by commitment, innovation, scientific management, institutional collaboration and community participation.
Referring to the success of Project Tiger and initiatives for lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah conservation, the minister said India has demonstrated that conservation and development can go hand in hand, strengthening ecosystems, improving livelihoods, resilience and mitigating climate challenges.
