India will host the first-ever Global Big Cat Summit this year, bringing together heads of governments and ministers from 95 range countries to deliberate on collective strategies for conservation, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Sunday.

Presenting the Union Budget for 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the summit would mark a significant step in strengthening global cooperation for the protection of big cats.

“This year, India is hosting the first-ever Global Big Cat Summit, where heads of governments and ministers from 95 range countries will deliberate on collective strategies for conservation,” she said.

Sitharaman noted that the International Big Cat Alliance was set up last year to facilitate collaboration among countries that are home to species such as tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs and jaguars.

India, which is home to the world’s largest population of wild tigers, has been positioning itself as a key player in big cat conservation through initiatives like Project Tiger and the reintroduction of cheetahs and the announcement builds on India’s push to lead international efforts in wildlife conservation.

In the Budget, the government also announced developing ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats. Additionally, key turtle nesting sites in Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala will be developed into conservation-linked eco-tourism trails.

Presenting her ninth consecutive Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared that the government has chosen “reform over rhetoric and people over populism”, even as the country navigates global trade disruptions and geopolitical uncertainties.

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Published On:

Feb 1, 2026