changeadminIndia’s Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Bhupender Yadav, launched the website and logo for the 1st International Big Cat Alliance Summit 2026 in New Delhi today.
The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an intergovernmental organisation headquartered in India, was established to conserve seven big cats: Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
The Minister said that India would host the first International Big Cat Alliance Summit on 1 June 2026 in New Delhi, with participation expected from the Heads of State/Government of Member and Observer countries. During the event, he also released a promotional film on the Summit.
Several Heads of Mission from Big Cat Range Countries, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of External Affairs, and IBCA, attended the event.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Yadav described the occasion as an important milestone towards a landmark global gathering dedicated to the conservation of the world’s iconic big cats.
The Summit, guided by the theme ‘Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem’, would bring together over 400 conservationists, policymakers, scientists, multilateral agencies, financial institutions, corporate leaders and community representatives from across the globe.
Highlighting India’s journey in big cat conservation, the Minister noted that it has been marked by commitment, innovation, scientific management, institutional collaboration and community participation.
He noted that, referring to the success of Project Tiger and initiatives for the conservation of lions, leopards, snow leopards, and cheetahs, India has demonstrated that conservation and development can go hand in hand, strengthening ecosystems, improving livelihoods and resilience, and mitigating climate challenges.
Mr Yadav stated that India’s experience and a deep sense of global responsibility inspired the leadership of Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi to launch the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in 2023.
He described IBCA as a first-of-its-kind platform that brings together countries home to the seven big cats, reflecting India’s belief that conservation challenges must be addressed collectively through cooperation, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.
The Minister emphasised that the International Big Cat Alliance Summit will be a defining moment in global conservation diplomacy, bringing together world leaders, experts and partners to deliberate on the future of big cat conservation.
He underlined that the Summit will strengthen international partnerships, promote South-South cooperation, inspire collective action among big cat range countries and align conservation efforts with global biodiversity and climate goals.
For the first time, world leaders will convene exclusively to deliberate on big cat conservation across continents, he added.
Mr Yadav informed that a key outcome of the Summit would be the adoption of the first-ever global declaration on big cat conservation, titled the ‘Delhi Declaration’, which will articulate shared priorities, strengthen transboundary cooperation and promote a landscape-based approach for conserving big cats and their habitats.
The International Big Cat Alliance Summit will be followed by technical sessions on 1st and 2nd June 2026, with participation from senior government officials, conservation practitioners, experts and partner organisations from 95 big cat range countries.
A curated exhibition will also be organised during the Summit in collaboration with leading institutions and partners, showcasing tribal art, paintings on big cats, immersive photographs, films, virtual reality experiences and India’s best practices and achievements in big cat and biodiversity conservation.
On the launch of the IBCA Summit Website, the Minister said it would function as a dedicated global platform for outreach, engagement, and information sharing.
It would also host the official IBCA Summit 2026 logo film, which captures the Summit’s vision, conservation narrative, and global relevance, thereby enhancing awareness, visibility, and public engagement.
The website will serve as the official digital identity of the Summit, ensuring consistency, authenticity and clarity in all communications.
Referring to the IBCA Summit Logo, Shri Yadav said that it captures the spirit of the initiative. He informed that the logo reflects harmony, balance and interconnected ecosystems.
The logo features the seven big cat species at its core, symbolising unity and shared responsibility and is encircled by a lotus-inspired design representing the five elements of nature.
Concluding his address, the Minister urged all present to extend full support in ensuring participation at the highest level from their respective countries, emphasising that leadership and engagement would be critical in making the Summit a global success.
He also called upon big cat range countries that are not yet part of IBCA to join the Alliance to build a strong, inclusive, and action-oriented platform for securing the future of these species.
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