India convened the inaugural assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in New Delhi on June 17, 2025. Chaired by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, the event brought together member nations to finalize the alliance’s structure, governance, and future roadmap for big cat conservation.

Key Points:

• The first assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was held in New Delhi on June 17, 2025, with participation from 9 member countries.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav chaired the meeting, which marked the official operational launch of the IBCA.
• Member nations approved the alliance's statute and governance structure, and elected India as the permanent headquarters.
• India pledged Rs.150 crore to support IBCA’s institutional development, research, training, and capacity building initiatives.
• The alliance aims to strengthen conservation efforts for seven big cat species — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma — across range countries.

About the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA):

• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is a global initiative launched by India to protect and conserve the world’s seven major big cat species — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.
• It brings together range countries and conservation partners to collaborate on research, habitat protection, anti-poaching efforts, and capacity building.
• Proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 and officially launched in 2023, IBCA is headquartered in India, with an initial funding support of Rs.150 crore. It aims to create a unified platform for global action on big cat conservation through cooperation, technical support, and knowledge sharing.