♦ The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has officially come into force as a treaty-based, inter-governmental organisation, becoming a fully functional international legal entity.

♦ The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), acting as the Depository for the Framework Agreement, confirmed that five countries – the Republic of Nicaragua, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Republic of India, the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the Republic of Liberia – have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval, making them the founding members of the IBCA.

♦ The IBCA was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 9, 2023, during an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.

♦ The initiative’s main objective is the conservation of seven major big cat species: the Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.

♦ In a cabinet meeting on 29 February 29 2024, the government officially approved the establishment of the IBCA, with its headquarters based in India.

♦ The establishment of the IBCA was spearheaded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a nodal organization under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).

♦ As of now, 27 countries, including India, have agreed to join the IBCA, along with several international and national organizations dedicated to wildlife conservation.