Nepal Joins India-Led International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) for Global Big Cat Conservation.

In August 2025, Nepal officially became a member of the India-led International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) by signing the framework agreement. This major step enhances transboundary cooperation in big cat conservation, with India spearheading efforts to protect seven big cat species through international collaboration.

      - Nepal’s entry into the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) increases the membership strength to 13 nations, which now includes India, Armenia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Guinea, Liberia, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Somalia, Suriname, and Nepal. This expansion underscores growing global recognition of the urgent need to safeguard endangered big cats across multiple continents.

      - The IBCA was originally launched on April 09, 2023, by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi during the “Commemorating 50 Years of Project Tiger” event in Mysuru, Karnataka. The alliance was envisioned as a platform to bring together tiger-range and non-range countries under one umbrella for the conservation of seven major species—tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.

      - According to data, Nepal has successfully raised its tiger population from just 121 in 2009 to 355 in 2022, reflecting one of the most remarkable success stories in South Asia’s conservation efforts. This achievement places Nepal among the global leaders in big cat conservation and complements India’s own strides under Project Tiger.

Main Point :-   (i) In February 2024, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the formal establishment of the IBCA with its headquarters in New Delhi, India. The Cabinet also cleared a budgetary support of ₹150 crore for five years (2023-24 to 2028-29) to strengthen IBCA operations and promote international projects in wildlife conservation.

      (ii) The nodal agency for IBCA has been designated as the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), functioning under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). NTCA is tasked with coordination, scientific guidance, and policy alignment to enable countries to exchange best practices for managing and conserving big cat populations across landscapes.

(iii) A significant milestone for IBCA was achieved on January 23, 2025, when the Treaty-Based Agreement was formally signed in New Delhi. This event brought together countries like Armenia, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Guatemala, Liberia, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Somalia, and Suriname along with India, strengthening the alliance’s legal foundation and long-term commitment to global wildlife protection.
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