NEW DELHI: In a significant development, India has succeeded in its effort to establish an inter-governmental international organization and international legal entity dedicated to conserving big cats globally.
The alliance was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 April 2023, during the event ‘Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger’.
Strengthening global efforts in big cat conservation and habitual restoration, International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has garned formal membership from five countries including the Republic of Nicaragua, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of India, Federal Republic of Somalia, and Republic of Liberia, through their signing of official framework which came into force on 23rd January 2025, said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
In a post on X, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory authority under MoEFCC of the Govt of India to conserve tigers and other big cats, said, “Delighted to inform that the @MEAIndia has confirmed the Framework Agreement on the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance @IBCA_official which now officially comes into force.” stated NTCA, the nodal organization of the IBCA.
As of now, 27 countries, including India, have consented to join the International Big Cat Alliance, and several international/national organizations working in the field of wildlife conservation have also partnered with IBCA.
With India's leadership, IBCA is poised to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise to protect the big cats at the global level.