India is conducting limited field trials on several genetically modified crops, including vitamin A and iron-fortified bananas, insect-resistant field peas, and stress-tolerant rubber. The experiments were revealed in India’s seventh national report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which outlines the country’s implementation of the global biodiversity framework.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton remains the only commercially approved GM crop in India, covering more than 11 million hectares. Commercial production of ethanol using genetically modified yeast has also been permitted under specific conditions.
“India has regularly submitted national reports to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. So far, four national reports have been submitted and the fifth is being prepared,” the government stated in the report. Capacity building initiatives include training programs and workshops conducted by institutions affiliated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
India reported 142 national indicators against 23 national biodiversity targets adopted in agreement with 23 global biodiversity targets (GBTs). The report provides the latest information on the various policies adopted by the country to ensure biodiversity conservation and security.
With regard to the goal of integrated land and sea use planning that includes biodiversity, India stated that it was undertaking relevant spatio-temporal assessments of forests, inland and coastal wetlands, river systems and marine ecosystems at the national and state levels using modern techniques, field surveys and validation exercises.
The single-window environmental clearance system under Parivesh 2.0 also helps in tracking biodiversity-rich areas, the report said, citing India reports.
“Proposals for development activities in the case of biodiversity-rich areas (protected areas, tiger reserves, eco-sensitive areas) are considered at the highest level, i.e. the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). In keeping with ‘Digital India’ and capturing the spirit of ‘minimum government, maximum governance’, a single window called PARIVESH has been developed by the Ministry of Economic, Social and Climate Change,” the report added.
Regarding environmental approvals, the number of proposals received by the Ministry of Environment rose steadily from 425 in FY2021 to 962 in FY2024, before declining to 629 in FY2025, while approvals remained consistently high across all years. The average processing time decreased significantly from 129 days to about 63 days, indicating improved administrative efficiency, the report said.
With regard to the goal of “conserving biodiversity on land, water and sea”, India follows two approaches to governance. The first approach to “state-led conservation” involves two models: protected areas and regional or managed forests. The second approach, “community-led conservation,” includes three models: independent community efforts (e.g., community protected areas and sacred groves); joint management (eg joint forest management); and decentralized governance institutions (such as panchayati raj institutions, gram sabhas, panchayats, autonomous district councils and biodiversity management committees).
Furthermore, to achieve the 30 x 30 global target for governments to designate 30% of land and ocean area as protected areas by 2030, efforts are being made to expand protected areas in the context of coastal and marine areas and to establish other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). Necessary guidelines are being prepared for the OECMs to meet this agenda, according to the report.
“The legal provisions under the Biodiversity Act, 2002 (Biodiversity Act) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 ensure recognition of local rights and community-based management of biodiversity resources… Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) play an important role in promoting comprehensive biodiversity management of natural resources through capacity building including legal awareness raising and documentation of traditional knowledge and practices,” India stated in its report.
Regarding ecosystem restoration objectives, the report said that the Atlas of Desertification and Land Degradation (DLD) of India presents the status of desertification and land degradation in the country as well as at the state level. The size of the areas affected by desertification and degradation during the FY 2012 to 2013 and FY 2004 to 2005 time frames were 96.40 million hectares (29.32% of the geographical area) and 94.53 million hectares (28.76% of the geographical area), respectively. A cumulative increase of 1.45 million hectares of area subject to degradation was observed from FY 2013 to FY 2019. The most important process of desertification and land degradation was water erosion, followed by vegetation degradation and wind erosion.
