India submits its first national report on Nagoya Protocol on Biological Diversity

New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), has submitted India’s first National Report (NR1) on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol to the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The report was formally submitted on February 27, 2026, in accordance with Article 29 of the protocol on monitoring and reporting.

The report covers the period from November 1, 2017, to December 31, 2025, and outlines India’s progress in implementing the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS).

It also contributes to Target 13 of India’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). India had earlier submitted its Interim National Report in November 2017.

India’s ABS framework operates under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, supported by the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, and the ABS Regulations, 2025.

The system functions through a three-tier institutional structure comprising the National Biodiversity Authority at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs) at the state and UT levels, and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level.

According to the report, more than 2,76,653 BMCs have been established across the country, significantly strengthening community participation in biodiversity governance and benefit-sharing mechanisms.

During the reporting period, India issued a total of 12,830 ABS approvals. Of these, 5,913 approvals were granted by the National Biodiversity Authority for entities under Section 3(2) of the Biological Diversity Act.

These approvals covered activities such as research, bio-survey, commercial utilisation, transfer of research results, intellectual property rights and third-party transfers.

Additionally, 6,917 approvals were issued by State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils for entities under Section 7 of the Act for commercial utilisation of biological resources.

India has also published 3,556 Internationally Recognised Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs) on the ABS Clearing-House in accordance with Article 17 of the Nagoya Protocol. These certificates represent more than 60 percent of the global total, reflecting India’s leadership in transparency and compliance under the international biodiversity framework.

The report highlights significant financial benefits generated through the ABS framework. During the period from 2017 to 2025, ₹216.31 crore (USD 28.04 million) was mobilised through NBA approvals.

Of this amount, ₹139.69 crore (USD 16.83 million) has already been disbursed to benefit claimers, including Biodiversity Management Committees, local communities, farmers and traditional knowledge holders, supporting biodiversity conservation and livelihoods.

An additional ₹51.96 crore (USD 6.56 million) was generated through approvals granted by State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils for commercial utilisation by Indian entities under Section 7 of the Biological Diversity Act.

The report also notes that 395 approvals granted by the NBA included non-monetary benefits such as capacity building, training programmes, technology transfer and collaborative research initiatives.

In line with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol, India also monitors the utilisation of foreign-sourced biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.

During the reporting period, the National Biodiversity Authority received 41 declarations in Form 10 for the use of foreign bioresources, as required under Rule 18 of the Biological Diversity Rules, 2024, and Section 36A of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

India has also undertaken extensive awareness and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen the implementation of the ABS framework. According to the report, 2,56,393 individuals were trained through 3,724 workshops and programmes, alongside more than 600 capacity-building initiatives conducted across the country.

With a strong legal framework, robust institutional mechanisms and active community participation, the report concludes that India has emerged as a global leader in implementing the Nagoya Protocol and promoting fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.