Russia became the 19th member of the International Big Cat Alliance

Russia has decided to adopt the framework agreement to join the India-led International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). Russia will become the 19th member country of this global alliance.

• On 5 December 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Delhi, decided to adopt the framework agreement to join the India-led International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
• Russia will become the 19th member country of this global alliance. The aim of this global group is to protect and conserve seven big cats – tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar and puma.
• Initial members (2024–2025): India (founder), Nicaragua, Eswatini, Somalia, Armenia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Guinea, Liberia, Russia, Suriname, Angola.
• Nepal officially joined IBCA in August 2025.

IBCA Launch

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced this alliance in April 2023, and last March the central government established IBCA through the National Tiger Conservation Authority under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Delhi. Except for jaguar and puma, five of these big cats are found in India.
• Six big cats are listed as vulnerable or endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

About IBCA

• IBCA aims to include those “range” countries that are home to these seven big cats. There are a total of 95 such countries, including Canada, China, Congo, Brazil, Iran, Nepal, Ghana, Pakistan, Russia and the United States.
• The Republic of Nicaragua, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of India, the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Republic of Liberia have ratified the IBCA framework agreement.
• This concept was first introduced by India in 2019 and was officially launched in 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.
• In 2024, the first General Assembly of IBCA approved India’s Environment Minister as its President—reflecting global confidence in India’s commitment to wildlife conservation.
• IBCA is being supported with ₹150 crore (2023–2028) and is seeking additional funding through bilateral, multilateral and donor organizations.

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

• NTCA is a statutory body under MoEFCC, created in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force, and given legal status under Section 38L of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006.
• Objective: To give legal authority to Project Tiger, ensure federal accountability in tiger reserve management, and address livelihood concerns around tiger reserves.