Archive · 1 Feb 2026
Global Big Cat Summit Announced in Budget 2026
The Global Big Cat Summit is going to happen in India in April 2026.
This summit is about protecting big cats like lions, tigers, and leopards.
It will have leaders from many countries.
The International Big Cat Alliance, which is leading this, has 21 member countries and some partner organizations like the World Wildlife Fund.
The budget for the environment ministry increased a little, but some parts like wildlife and aquatic conservation got less money.
The biggest decrease was for the Indian Institute of Forest Management.
The summit aims to protect big cats and raise awareness about those in captivity.
The Global Big Cat Summit will be held in India in April 2026, announced during the Budget 2026-27 speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The summit is expected to attract leaders and dignitaries from over 95 countries, focusing on the conservation of big cats like lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, pumas, and snow leopards.
The International Big Cat Alliance, headed by Bhupendra Yadav, has 21 member countries and partner organizations like the World Wildlife Fund International and the United Nations Development Programme.
The overall budget for the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change increased marginally, but allocations for wildlife and aquatic conservation saw a decline.
The budget for the Development of Wildlife Habitats was reduced from Rs 148 crore to Rs 102 crore, and the Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems saw a decrease from Rs 35 crore to Rs 21 crore.
- Who
- Leaders and dignitaries from over 95 countries, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, World Animal Protection in India
- What
- Announcement of the Global Big Cat Summit and budget allocations for wildlife conservation
- When
- April 2026 (Summit), Budget 2026-27 announced today
- Where
- India (Summit), Parliament (Budget announcement)
- Why
- To promote collaboration and research on big cat conservation, raise awareness about big cats in captivity, and allocate funds for wildlife conservation
- Summit Name
- Global Big Cat Summit
- Host Country
- India
- Expected Participants
- Leaders and dignitaries from over 95 countries
- Big Cat Species
- Lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, pumas, snow leopards
- Alliance Head
- Bhupendra Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
- Budget Increase
- Rs 3276.82 crore to Rs 3536.66 crore for the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
- Budget Decrease
- Development of Wildlife Habitats from Rs 148 crore to Rs 102 crore
- Budget Decrease
- Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems from Rs 35 crore to Rs 21 crore