The report assesses the country’s biodiversity efforts using 142 national indicators mapped against 23 National Biodiversity Targets under the updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024–2030).
According to the Ministry, all 23 national biodiversity targets are currently “on track to achieve,” reflecting alignment with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
The report draws on inputs from 33 Central Ministries and departments, State governments, statutory bodies, research institutions and other stakeholders, reflecting what the government described as a “whole-of-government and whole-of-society” approach to biodiversity conservation.
India’s forest and tree cover continues to show expansion.
Km (23.59% of the country’s geographical area), while total forest and tree cover has reached 8,27,356.95 sq.
The number of Ramsar wetlands has also increased from 26 in 2014 to 98 in 2026.
The country’s conservation network includes 58 tiger reserves, 33 elephant reserves, 18 biosphere reserves, 106 national parks and 574 wildlife sanctuaries.
India currently supports 3,682 tigers, more than 70% of the global tiger population, along with 4,014 one-horned rhinoceroses, 22,446 wild elephants, 891 Asiatic lions and an estimated 718 snow leopards, based on the first Snow Leopard Population Assessment.
The report also notes the completion of the country’s first river dolphin population estimation under Project Dolphin, which recorded 6,327 riverine dolphins.
India has identified 22 agrobiodiversity hotspots and prioritised the conservation of 769 crop wild relatives across 171 native crops and 230 native animal breeds, the Ministry said.
