New Delhi: India has submitted its Seventh National Report (NR-7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, reaffirming its commitment to conserving biodiversity, ensuring the sustainable use of biological resources and promoting the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
The report was submitted on February 26, 2026 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, two days ahead of the official deadline of February 28, in accordance with reporting obligations under Article 26 of the Convention.
Submission of national reports is a mandatory requirement for all Parties to the CBD, and India has consistently fulfilled this obligation in a timely manner.
The NR-7 provides a comprehensive, indicator-based national assessment aligned with India’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2024–2030 and the global Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The report is based on 142 national indicators mapped against 23 National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) and reflects coordinated inputs from 33 central ministries and departments, state governments, statutory authorities, research institutions and other stakeholders.
According to the report, all 23 National Biodiversity Targets are currently “on track to achieve”, demonstrating strong alignment between India’s national priorities and global biodiversity commitments.
The assessment highlights a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach, integrating biodiversity safeguards across sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and coastal development.
🌿🇮🇳 India reaffirms its commitment to biodiversity!
— Kirti Vardhan Singh (@KVSinghMPGonda) March 16, 2026
The Seventh National Report (NR-7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), showcasing progress on all 23 national targets.… pic.twitter.com/2OE39JkQvp
India has also strengthened biodiversity-inclusive land and seascape planning. The report states that the country’s recorded forest area stands at 7,75,377 square kilometres, accounting for 23.59 per cent of its geographical area, while forest cover constitutes 5,20,365 square kilometres, or 15.83 per cent. Combined forest and tree cover has reached 8,27,356.95 square kilometres, representing 25.17 per cent of the total land area.
Wetland conservation has also expanded significantly, with the number of sites recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands increasing from 26 in 2014 to 98 as of 2026.
India’s conservation network now includes 58 tiger reserves, 33 elephant reserves, 18 biosphere reserves, 106 national parks and 574 wildlife sanctuaries. The country supports 3,682 wild tigers, accounting for more than 70 per cent of the global tiger population under the Project Tiger.
Other key wildlife populations highlighted in the report include 4,014 greater one-horned rhinoceroses, 22,446 wild elephants, 891 Asiatic lions and around 718 snow leopards, based on the first Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India.
Under Project Dolphin, India also completed its first nationwide river dolphin census, which estimated a population of 6,327 riverine dolphins.
The report notes that India has documented 22 agrobiodiversity hotspots and prioritised the conservation of 769 crop wild relatives linked to 171 native crops, along with 230 native animal breeds based on their diversity, uniqueness and agricultural heritage.
The National Biodiversity Authority has issued more than 5,600 Access and Benefit Sharing agreements, resulting in the disbursement of ₹140 crore. At the grassroots level, 2,76,653 Biodiversity Management Committees and 2,72,648 People’s Biodiversity Registers have been established to involve local communities in biodiversity conservation and the documentation of traditional knowledge.
India has also developed a robust institutional and legal framework for environmental protection, supported by laws such as the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Environment Protection Act 1986 and Biological Diversity Act 2002.
The country’s conservation strategy integrates both in-situ and ex-situ approaches, including habitat restoration, species recovery programmes and the sustainable management of ecosystems and agrobiodiversity.
Advanced technologies such as remote sensing, geographic information systems, satellite telemetry, unmanned aerial vehicles, camera traps and DNA-based tools are increasingly being used to monitor forest resources, track wildlife populations and conserve genetic resources.
In line with the Digital India initiative, the government has also developed PARIVESH, a single-window digital platform designed to streamline environmental approvals and enhance transparency.
The report also highlights citizen participation through initiatives such as Mission LiFE and the tree plantation campaign Ek Ped Maa Ke Nam.
India’s Seventh National Report presents a comprehensive national assessment demonstrating measurable progress across biodiversity conservation, restoration, sustainable use, governance reforms, climate mitigation and community participation, reaffirming the country’s commitment to achieving global biodiversity goals by 2030.
