India showing world that ecology, economy can grow together: Yadav

New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) India has emerged as a global leader in biodiversity conservation over the last 10 years and is proving that economic growth and ecological protection can go hand in hand, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Tuesday.

India will host the Global Summit on Big Cat Conservation in 2026 as part of its International Big Cat Alliance, the world's first platform for the protection of seven big cat species, Yadav said at the Global Big Cats Photography Competition, marking Wildlife Week.

"Our message is clear: Ecology and economy can grow together. And India is showing the way," he said.

He said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has strengthened its conservation frameworks and redefined how development and nature can coexist.

The country's forest and tree cover has grown by 1,445 square kilometres in the last decade, taking total green cover to 25.17 per cent. The network of protected areas has expanded to 1,022, covering 5.43 per cent of India's geographical area.

The Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh has been inducted into UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves as India's 13th site, he said, adding that 487 eco-sensitive zones now serve as wildlife corridors.

India's success stories include a 30 per cent rise in tiger numbers in ten years, taking the total to 3,682, which is 70 per cent of the global wild tiger population.

"Our 58 tiger reserves spanning over 84,000 sq km are not just sanctuaries, they are engines of economic growth," Yadav said.

He said Asiatic lions have expanded their range to 35,000 sq km, with their population growing 32 per cent since 2020 to 891.

He also lauded the Project Cheetah, saying that yhe first cheetah cub born on Indian soil has attained adulthood now.

India is home to 60 per cent of the world's wild Asian elephants and 90 per cent of global Ganges river dolphins, whose population has risen to 6,327. The country's Ramsar sites have grown from 26 in 2014 to 91 in 2025, the largest network of protected wetlands in Asia.

Yadav said India's conservation model is powered by community participation through initiatives such as Him Rakshaks, Cheetah Mitras and Vanya Prani Mitras.

"We are building a New India where roads connect people and corridors connect wildlife," he added. PTI GVS ZMN