By Abdullahi Lukman
In a significant step for global wildlife conservation, the Government of India and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) have signed a landmark agreement to establish the alliance’s permanent headquarters and
secretariat in New Delhi.
The agreement, signed on Thursday by P. Kumaran, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and S.P. Yadav, Director General of IBCA, strengthens India’s leadership in wildlife conservation efforts.
As part of the agreement, the Indian government has pledged ₹150 crore in funding over a five-year period (2023–2028) to support the creation of infrastructure, a financial corpus, and cover recurring expenses for the IBCA.
The IBCA, which was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 9, 2023, during the 50th anniversary celebration of Project Tiger, transitioned into a treaty-based intergovernmental organization in 2025.
This marks a significant development in global conservation, highlighting the increasing international need to protect the world’s top predators.
The Headquarters Agreement includes provisions to facilitate IBCA’s operations, such as visa arrangements, immunities for its personnel, and operational autonomy. The MEA emphasized that the agreement ensures the IBCA’s ability to meet its goals and effectively carry out its functions.
The IBCA is focused on the conservation of seven major big cat species: tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and pumas. Through international collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the replication of successful conservation models, the alliance aims to protect these iconic species globally.
This new development not only reinforces India’s commitment to biodiversity protection but also positions the country as a leader in wildlife conservation, with the IBCA headquarters serving as a global hub for big cat preservation.