India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries in the world. The country is divided into 10 biogeographic regions. The diverse physical features and climatic situations have formed ecological habitats like forests, grasslands, wetlands, coastal and marine ecosystems and desert ecosystems, which harbour and sustain immense biodiversity. Biogeographically, India is situated at the tri-junction of three realms - Afro-tropical, Indo-Malayan and Paleo-Arctic realms, and therefore, has characteristic elements from each of them. This assemblage of three distinct realms makes the country rich and unique in biological diversity.

The country is also one of the 12 primary centres of origin of cultivated plants and domesticated animals. It is considered to be the homeland of 167 important plant species of cereals, millets, fruits, condiments, vegetables, pulses, fibre crops and oilseeds, and 114 breeds of domesticated animals.

About 4,900 species of flowering plants are endemic to the country. These are distributed among 141 genera belonging to 47 families. These are concentrated in the floristically rich areas of North-East India, the Western Ghats, North-West Himalayas and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These areas constitute two of the 18 hot spots identified in the world. It is estimated that 62 per cent of the known amphibian species are endemic to India of which a majority is found in Western Ghats.

Approximately 65 per cent of the total geographical area has been surveyed so far. Based on this, over 46,000 species of plants and 81,000 species of animals have been described by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) established in 1890 and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) established in 1916, respectively. This list is being constantly upgraded, specially in lower plants and invertebrate animals. The Forest Survey of India established in 1981 assess the forest cover with a view to develop an accurate database for planning and monitoring purposes.

Conservation and sustainable use of biological resources based on local knowledge systems and practices is ingrained in Indian ethos. The country has a number of alternative medicines, like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathic systems which are predominantly based on plant based raw materials in most of their preparations and formulations. Herbal preparations for various purposes including pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes form part of the traditional biodiversity uses in India.

The strategies for conservation and sustainable utilisation of biodiversity have comprised providing special status and protection to biodiversity - rich areas by declaring them as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, ecologically fragile and sensitive areas. Other strategies include offloading pressure from reserve forests by alternative measures of fuelwood and fodder need satisfaction by afforestation of degraded areas and wastelands and creation of ex-situ conservartion facilities such as gene banks. For example, the Tura Range in Garo Hills of Meghalaya is a gene sanctuary for preserving the rich native diversity of wild citrus and musa species.

Approximately, 4.2 per cent of the total geographical area of the country has been earmarked for extensive
in-situ conservation of habitats and ecosystems. A protected area network of 85 national parks and 448 wildlife sanctuaries has been created. The results of this network have been significant in restoring viable population of large mammals such as tiger, lion, rhinoceros, crocodiles and elephants.

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has identified 309 forest preservation plots of representative forest types for conservation of viable and representative areas of biodiversity. Out of these plots, 187 area in natural forests and 112 are in plantations, covering a total area of 8,500 hectares.

A programme "Eco-development" for in-situ conservation of biological diversity involving local communities has been initiated in recent years. The concept of ecodevelopment integrates the ecological and economic parameters for sustained conservation of ecosystems by involving the local communities with the maintenance of earmarked regions surrounding protected areas. The economic needs of the local communities are taken care under this programme through provision of alternative sources of income and a steady availability of forest and related produce.

Programmes have also been launched for scientific management and wise use of wetlands, mangroves and coral reef ecosystems. Twenty one wetlands, and mangrove areas and 4 coral reef areas have been identified for intensive conservation and management purposes. Mangroves conservation is one of the thrust areas of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Six significant wetlands of India have been declared as "Ramsar Sites" under the Ramsar Convention. Under the World Heritage Convention, five natural sites have been declared as "World Heritage Sites".

To conserve the representative ecosystems, a Biosphere Reserve Programme is being implemented. Twelve biodiversity rich areas of the country have been designated as Biosphere Reserves applying the UNESCO/MAB criteria. These reserves aim at conserving the biological diversity and genetic integrity of plants, animals and microorganisms in their totality as part of the natural ecosystems, so as to ensure that self-perpetuation and unhindered evolution of the living resources.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests constituted the National Afforestation and Eco-development Board (NAEB) in August 1992. NAEB has evolved specific schemes for promoting afforestation and management strategies which help the states in developing specific afforestation and management strategies and eco-development packages for augmenting biomass production through a participatory planning process of joint forest management and microplanning.

To complement in-situ conservation, attention has been paid to ex-situ conservation measures. According to currently available survey, central government and state governments together run and manage 33 botanical gardens. Universities have their own botanical gardens. There are 275 zoos, deer parks, safari parks and aquaria. A Central Zoo Authority was set up to secure better management of zoos. A scheme ‘Assistance to Botanical Gardens’ provides one-time assistance to botanical gardens to strengthen and institute measures for ex-situ conservation of threatened and endangered species in their respective regions.

Formal policies and programmes for conservation and sustainable utilisation of biodiversity resources dates back to several decades. The concept of environmental protection is enshrined in the Indian constitution in articles 48a and 51a(g).

Major central acts relevant to biodiversity include Forest Act, 1927, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The various central Acts are supported by a number of state laws and statutes concerning forests and other natural resources. The policies and strategies directly relevant to biodiversity include National Forest Policy amended in 1988, National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement for Environment and Sustainable Development, National Agricultural Policy, National Land Use Policy, National Fisheries Policy, National Policy and Action Strategy on Biodiversity, National Wildlife Action Plan and Environmental Action Plan.

India is a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The main objectives of this convention are; conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.

The main implementation measures for the CBD are through national strategies, legislation, and administrative instruments to be developed in accordance with the country’s conditions and capabilities.

Adopting a consultative process with the stakeholders, a national policy and action strategy on biological diversity has been drawn up as a macro-level statement of strategies. This plan aims at consolidating the on-going efforts of conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, identifying gaps in various sectors and providing a policy and programme regime to ensure attainment of the three objectives of the CBD. This famework document provides the basis for developing detailed action at micro and regional levels.

The Ministry has accessed funding from GEF for preparing detailed National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) using participatory planning approach and is currently being implemented.

Identifying the critically important areas and gaps in taxonomic work, an All India Coordinated Project on Taxonomy (AICOPTAX) has been launched for prioritised purpose-oriented capacity building in taxonomy. To encourage taxonomic work, Janaki Ammal National Award in taxonomy has been instituted.

India’s richness in biological resources and related indigenous knowledge is well recognised. One of the major challenges before the country lies in adopting an instrument which help realise the objectives of equitable benefit sharing enshrined in the convention. India has worked out a bio-diversity legislation. It aims at regulating access to biological resources. The legislation has been prepared after extensive consultations with concerned people and agencies.