India will host the first-ever International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit on June 1 in New Delhi, bringing together world leaders, experts and stakeholders to forge a coordinated international response to protect endangered species, Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said on Wednesday.
With the theme “Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save the Ecosystem”, the summit will be attended by the heads of 25 member countries and four observer countries and will bring together more than 400 stakeholders, including politicians, scientists, financial institutions, businesses and community representatives.
Launched in 2023 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IBCA is a first-of-its-kind intergovernmental alliance aimed at protecting seven species of big cats – lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma – across their global ranges.
Launching the website and logo for the summit, Yadav said the summit would mark a “defining moment” in conservation diplomacy aimed at strengthening international partnerships and promoting South-South cooperation.
He informed that a key outcome of the summit will be the adoption of the first-ever global declaration on the conservation of big cats called the “Delhi Declaration”, which articulates shared priorities, strengthens cross-border cooperation and promotes a landscape approach to the conservation of big cats and their habitats.
Protection of big cats
Highlighting India’s track record, the minister pointed to flagship programs such as Project Tiger and ongoing conservation efforts for lions, leopards, snow leopards and cheetahs, highlighting a model that balances environmental conservation with development goals.
The summit will be followed by technical meetings on June 1-2, attended by officials and experts from 95 big cat countries. There will also be a curated exhibition featuring tribal art, films, virtual reality installations and Indian conservation practices.
The minister emphasized that the upcoming summit will be a defining moment in global conservation diplomacy, bringing together world leaders, experts and partners to discuss the future of big cat conservation.
He emphasized that the summit will strengthen international partnerships, promote South-South cooperation, spur collective action among big cat countries, and align conservation efforts with global biodiversity and climate goals.
For the first time, world leaders will meet exclusively to discuss the conservation of big cats across continents, he added.
