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India is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, hosting an estimated 7-8% of all recorded species while covering only 2.4% of the global land area. However, this rich biodiversity faces numerous threats from habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species and climate change. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of India's legal and policy framework for biodiversity conservation, examining its strengths, weaknesses and implementation challenges. Key legislation like the Biological Diversity Act 2002 and institutional mechanisms like the National Biodiversity Authority are evaluated. The paper finds that while India has a robust legal architecture for biodiversity protection on paper, significant gaps remain in enforcement, capacity and reconciling conservation with development imperatives. Case studies highlight both successes and failures in conserving particular species and ecosystems. The role of various stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs, and local communities is assessed. Drawing on international best practices, the paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening India's biodiversity governance through legislative reforms, improved implementation, enhanced stakeholder participation and innovative approaches like ecological fiscal transfers. Ultimately, conserving India's natural heritage will require not just strong laws but also greater political will, resources and public support for biodiversity protection.
Rekha Goswami (Fri,) studied this question.
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