India extends UN Act privileges, immunities to International Big Cat Alliance

New Delhi [India], August 22 (ANI): Government has extended privileges and immunities to the International Big Cat Alliance and its officials under the United Nations (Privileges & Immunities) Act, 1947, Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said on Friday.
The minister said that this step reaffirms India's commitment to international cooperation for big cat conservation.
He highlighted that with these privileges and immunities, IBCA gets the necessary empowerment to function effectively as a global platform to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity building for the conservation of big cats worldwide.
A Gazette Notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on August 8 formalised the development.
The Union Minister wrote on X, "Glad to share that the Government of India has issued the Gazette Notification extending privileges and immunities to the International Big Cat Alliance, its representatives, and officials under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947. The significant step reaffirms India's steadfast commitment to strengthening international cooperation for big cat conservation. The conservation of big cats is also instrumental in preserving and protecting their ecosystems and hence the well-being of our Planet."

Glad to share that the Government of India has issued the Gazette Notification extending privileges and immunities to the International Big Cat Alliance, its representatives, and officials under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947.

The significant step… pic.twitter.com/KJnmcQu1tA

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) August 22, 2025

Thanking the Government of India, the IBCA noted in a post on X, "By according these privileges and immunities, the Government of India has further empowered IBCA to function effectively as a global platform dedicated to fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity building for the conservation of #bigcats worldwide."

The International Big Cat Alliance #IBCA extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of India for the Gazette Notification extending privileges and immunities to IBCA, its representatives, and officials under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947.

This… pic.twitter.com/Rl2g5fTlAz

— International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) (@IBCA_official) August 21, 2025

A Gazette of India notification dated August 8 noted that that India had signed the Host Country Agreement with the IBCA for establishing it in India. As per Article X, Host Country Agreement provides for privileges and immunities of the International Big Cat Alliance, its representatives and officials.
It stated, "the Central Government considers it expedient to extend the necessary privileges and immunities provided under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947 (46 of 1947) to the International Big Cat Alliance, its representatives and officials in accordance with Article X of the above mentioned Host Country Agreement".
It thereby exercised the powers conferred by section 3 of the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947 (46 of 1947), the Central Government hereby declares that the provisions of section 1 of Article I, provisions under Article II, section 9 of Article III, sections 18 and 20 of Article V and sections 22 and 23 of Article VI of the Schedule to the said Act shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the International Big Cat Alliance, its representatives and officials.
The International Big Cat Alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organisation conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and officially launched on April 9, 2023, during the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Project Tiger. Its mandate covers the conservation of the seven big cats of the world - Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma - through collaboration with partner nations.
The IBCA is a multi-country, multi-agency coalition comprising of 95 big cat range countries, non-range countries with an interest in big cat conservation, conservation partners, scientific organizations engaged in big cat research, as well as business groups and corporates committed to supporting big cat conservation efforts.
Its objectives include facilitation of collaboration and synergy amongst the concerned stakeholders, consolidation of successful conservation practices and expertise to achieve conservation of big cats around the globe.
The IBCA seeks to lead by example, bringing together range countries and other stakeholders onto a common platform to champion the cause of big cat conservation on a global scale. (ANI)