The first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) summit, which was scheduled to be held on June 1 in New Delhi, will now be held at a later date, the Union Environment Ministry said on Thursday.
“The first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit was scheduled to be held in New Delhi on June 1, 2026. It was organized in conjunction with the Fourth Indo-African Forum Summit (IAFS IV) as many African countries host big cats and are important partners in global efforts towards conservation, environmental sustainability and biodiversity protection,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Following the decision taken in consultation with the Chairperson of the African Union and the African Union Commission to hold the 4th IBCA Summit at a later date, it was decided that in order to ensure broad and effective participation of all countries of the group, including African countries, the 1st IBCA Summit will also be held at a later date,” the statement added.
The new dates for the summit will be announced in due course after consultation with participating countries and stakeholders.
“India remains strongly committed to working with all partners to advance the common goals of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development,” the statement said.
About 13 heads of state are expected to make statements on the state of big cat conservation, which will include sharing experiences and national priorities. Officials were also expecting member states to adopt the Delhi Declaration on the Conservation of Big Cats for the first time ever.
The key outcome of the Global Big Cat Summit, to be hosted by the International Big Cat Alliance on June 1-2, will be the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Big Cat Conservation – a unified global commitment that articulates shared priorities, strengthens cross-border cooperation, and promotes a landscape-based approach to the conservation of big cats and their habitats, Union Environment Minister Bhupinder Yadav said on May 6.
He also launched the website and logo for the 2026 First International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit.
The upcoming IBCA Summit in June will bring together heads of state/government, experts and partners from around the world to deliberate on the future of big cat conservation. He added: “The summit is of strategic importance because it will strengthen international partnerships, enhance South-South cooperation, and inspire collective action across countries where big cats live. It will also help align conservation efforts with global biodiversity and climate goals.”
The Government of India established the IBCA in 2024 through its nodal organisation, the National Tiger Conservation Authority, under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The primary objective of IBCA is to facilitate cooperation and synergy between scope countries and other stakeholders. The IBCA was launched to conserve tigers, lions, cheetahs, snow leopards, cheetahs, jaguars and pumas. It offers membership to all UN Member States, including range countries that home the species, as well as off-range countries interested in supporting big cat conservation.
