·The Hindu·15 marks·250–350 words

Wildlife diplomacy is emerging as a tool of India's Africa policy. Examine.

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In this answer
  1. Manifestations: from bilateral MoUs to a multilateral platform
  2. Why it is a useful diplomatic tool
  3. Limitations

Wildlife diplomacy means states using conservation cooperation, such as species transfers, MoUs and shared expertise, to build political ties. Project Cheetah is the "world's first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation" [1]. It has made conservation a visible part of India's Africa outreach, alongside trade and development partnerships.

Manifestations: from bilateral MoUs to a multilateral platform

  • Namibia: an MoU on wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity use (July 2022) [2] led to 8 cheetahs being released at Kuno in September 2022 [1].
  • South Africa: an MoU on cheetah reintroduction brought 12 cheetahs in February 2023. It plans for about 12 animals a year for 8–10 years [3].
  • Botswana: India sent 9 cheetahs to Kuno in February 2026 on an Indian Air Force aircraft, making it the third African source country [4].
  • Multilateral: the India-headquartered International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) counts Eswatini, Liberia and Somalia among its first ratifying members [5].

Why it is a useful diplomatic tool

  • South–South partnership: Africa is treated as the holder of knowledge, not just an aid recipient. MoUs provide for training, technology transfer and community-based conservation [3].
  • Credibility through results: all 20 founder animals arrived with no deaths in transit [6]. The population reached 48, including 28 India-born cubs [4], and then 60 in October 2026 [7].
  • Wider engagement: this adds an ecological, people-centred strand to ties that otherwise focus on minerals, energy and security.
  • Global South leadership: IBCA shows India setting norms in biodiversity governance [5].

Limitations

  • Dependence on supply: each batch needs long regulatory clearances in the partner country [4].
  • Reputational risk: cub deaths and Kuno's limited carrying capacity could hurt credibility. Expansion to Gandhi Sagar is needed to reach the 2032 target of 60–70 cheetahs [8].
  • Narrow scope: cooperation is focused on one species and limited to southern Africa.

Overall, wildlife diplomacy has grown from a single translocation into a structured set of bilateral and multilateral partnerships. India could strengthen it through joint research, more personnel exchanges, and extending IBCA cooperation to other species and African regions. This would give its Africa policy a lasting conservation pillar in line with SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Sources

  1. 1PIB: PM releases wild Cheetahs - which had become extinct from India - in Kuno National Park (17 Sep 2022): 8 Namibian cheetahs; first inter-continental large carnivore translocation
  2. 2PIB: India–Namibia MoU on Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable Biodiversity Utilisation (20 July 2022): MoU enabling the Namibian translocation
  3. 3Government of South Africa (DFFE): Translocates 12 cheetah to India in Cooperation Agreement: 12 cheetahs; MoU on capacity building and tech transfer; 12 per year for 8–10 years
  4. 4PIB: Union Environment Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav welcomes 9 Cheetahs from Botswana, at Kuno National Park: 9 Botswana cheetahs; population 48 incl. 28 India-born
  5. 5International Big Cat Alliance: Framework Agreement: IBCA's treaty status, India HQ, African ratifying members
  6. 6PIB: Commemorating one year of successful implementation of Project Cheetah in India: no deaths in transit among founder animals
  7. 7The Hindu (PTI): Indian-born cheetah gives birth to five cubs in MP's Kuno (6 Oct 2026): population reaches 60
  8. 8PIB Backgrounder: Roaring Revival: The Return of the Cheetah (12 Dec 2025): Gandhi Sagar as next site; 2032 target of 60–70 cheetahs

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