Bhopal to host curtain-raiser for global big cat summit

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh will host the curtain-raiser for the first International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit 2026 at the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, on May 22, coinciding with International Biodiversity Day.

The event will put the spotlight firmly on Madhya Pradesh, which has become central to India’s big cat conservation efforts with the country’s highest tiger population and the ongoing cheetah project in Kuno National Park.

Organised by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and the International Big Cat Alliance, the programme at IIFM will bring together senior officials from the Centre, wildlife experts and forest officers ahead of the international summit to be held in New Delhi on June 1–2.

The event will begin with the flagging off of 20 motorcycles and a rescue truck by the state forest department, supported by HUDCO, to spread awareness about biodiversity conservation.

At the IIFM auditorium, IBCA Director General S P Yadav will make a presentation on the International Big Cat Alliance and India’s plans for global cooperation on big cat conservation.

The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department will also present details of the country’s cheetah project, highlighting efforts to bring the species back to the wild through Kuno National Park and other sites in the state.

Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh is scheduled to address the gathering.

Officials say holding the curtain-raiser in Bhopal reflects Madhya Pradesh’s growing role in wildlife conservation. The state not only has the highest number of tigers in India but is also leading the country’s cheetah restoration programme.

The event in Bhopal will serve as a build-up to the first International Big Cat Alliance Summit, which India will host in New Delhi next month.

The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023 to bring countries together for the protection of seven big cat species Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma.

The alliance aims to help countries work together on issues such as wildlife protection, habitat conservation, research, training and tackling threats like poaching and shrinking forests.

The summit in New Delhi is expected to bring together representatives from nearly 95 countries, including ministers, scientists and conservation groups. A key outcome is expected to be the adoption of the “Delhi Declaration on Big Cat Conservation.”

Before that, however, Bhopal will host the first major event linked to the summit, placing Madhya Pradesh at the centre of India’s preparations for the global gathering, say officials.