India and International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Sign Headquarters Agreement

Agreement Overview: India has signed an agreement to host the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Headquarters and Secretariat, facilitating the efficient operation of IBCA.

Key Points of the Agreement

1. Visas and Privileges: The agreement covers provisions for visas, privileges, and immunities for IBCA Secretariat and personnel, as well as for its premises.
2. Financial Support: India will provide a budgetary support of ₹150 crore to IBCA for the creation of a corpus, infrastructure development, and recurring expenditures from 2023-24 to 2028-29.

About the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

1. Establishment: The IBCA was launched by India in 2023 to mark the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.
2. Legal Status: The IBCA and its Secretariat will become a treaty-based, inter-governmental international organization in January 2025 upon the enforcement of its Framework Agreement.
3. Member Countries: The IBCA has formal agreements with five countries: Nicaragua, Eswatini, India, Somalia, and Liberia.
4. Mission: The primary goal is the conservation of seven big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.

• Out of these, Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Cheetah are found in India.

India’s Contribution to Big Cat Conservation

1. St. Petersburg Declaration on Tiger Conservation (2010): Members from 13 tiger-range countries committed to the Tx2 goal, aiming to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.
2. Indian Initiatives:
   1. Project Tiger (launched in 1973) for the conservation of tigers.
   2. Project Lion (launched in 2020) for the conservation of Asiatic Lions.