India

1. Overview

India's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), establishes 23 national commitments* aligned one-to-one with the 23 GBF Targets. The document is structured around a National Biodiversity Monitoring Framework (Table 7.1) that assigns a four-tier indicator architecture, designated Lead Agencies, and Collaborating Agencies across all 23 commitments [§4].

*India's NBSAP uses "National Biodiversity Targets" (NBTs) aligned one-to-one with the 23 GBF Targets. This page uses "national commitment" to avoid confusion with the 23 GBF Targets.

The NBSAP adopts the GBF's four Goals (A–D) directly and operationalises each national commitment through monitored indicators** rather than listing discrete action items. The framework embeds a three-tier planning system — the national NBSAP, State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (SBSAPs), and Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (LBSAPs) — coordinated through the NBA, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) [§4–§5]. More than 50 distinct agencies are designated as Lead or Collaborating bodies across the 23 commitments, spanning at least 15 central ministries and numerous specialised research institutions [§4–§7].

**India's NBSAP operationalises each national commitment through a four-tier indicator architecture (headline → component → complementary → other national) rather than listing discrete action items.

Of the 23 national commitments, two carry measurable quantitative thresholds with deadlines (commitments 2 and 3, both targeting 30% by 2030). One additional commitment (7) is partially measurable. The remaining 20 are directional aspirations operationalised through monitored indicators. The available source material contains no finance figures, no baseline data, and no ecological context narrative. Sections Q1 (Executive Summary), Q2 (Geography/Context), Q4 (Portfolio/Programmes), and Q6 (Goals) were not available for extraction.

India's NBSAP reads as a monitoring and accountability scaffold rather than a strategy narrative — its substance lies in a four-tier indicator system spanning all 23 GBF Targets, an institutional map of over 50 designated agencies, and a national-to-village governance cascade that is the most detailed sub-national biodiversity planning structure in the dataset.

Sources:

• §4 — National Monitoring Framework (part 1/4)
• §5 — National Monitoring Framework (part 2/4)
• §6 — National Monitoring Framework (part 3/4)
• §7 — National Monitoring Framework (part 4/4)

2. Ecological Context

The source material provided for India's NBSAP contains no extracted content on ecological context, geographic scope, biodiversity significance, or threat landscape (Q2 extraction was not available). This section cannot be populated from the available material.

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

India's 23 national commitments mirror the 23 GBF Targets, with minor national tailoring in language. The commitments are grouped below by thematic area. Each commitment designates a Lead Agency and one or more Collaborating Agencies, with indicators monitored on a predominantly two-year reporting cycle [§4].

Conditions of Nature (Commitments 1–4)

Commitment 1 — Spatial planning (GBF Target 1). India commits to reflecting biodiversity in policy decisions, planning processes, and ecosystem services reporting. Indicators track changes in riverine, coastal, and wetland ecosystem area; wetlands under integrated management plans; shifting cultivation extent on 10-year, 5-year, and 3-year cycles; and progress on Integrated Coastal Zone Management plans and Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area management plans [§4]. The PARC-Connectedness index serves as a component indicator. Measurability: Directional aspiration — no quantitative threshold.

Commitment 2 — Ecosystem restoration (GBF Target 2). India commits to ensuring that "at least 30 per cent of prioritised areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems are under effective restoration" by 2030. Nine national indicators span forests, aquatic systems, mangroves, river water quality, desertification, agriculture, shifting cultivation, and wetlands. The framework incorporates SDG indicator 15.3.1 (land degradation) and links restoration monitoring to the National Mission for Clean Ganga [§4]. Measurability: Measurable commitment — 30% threshold, 2030 deadline.

Commitment 3 — Protected areas (GBF Target 3). India commits to conserving "at least 30 per cent of terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine areas" by 2030 through protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), while respecting the rights of Local Communities including tribal areas. Eleven national indicators — the most of any commitment — track four distinct PA legal categories (National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Conservation Reserve, Community Reserve), OECMs, Important Bird Areas, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, and Ecologically Sensitive Areas [§4]. OECMs are referenced but no criteria or current inventory are provided. Measurability: Measurable commitment — 30% threshold, 2030 deadline.

Commitment 4 — Species recovery (GBF Target 4). India commits to halting human-induced extinction and maintaining genetic diversity of native, wild, and domesticated species through in situ and ex situ conservation. Fourteen national indicators — the most of any commitment — cover population trends, the Red Data Book, the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats scheme, indigenous animal breeds and plant varieties, germplasm accessions, and human-wildlife interaction management. Separate tracking is maintained for animal genetic resources (through NBAGR) and plant genetic resources (through NBPGR) [§4]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — no quantitative threshold for halt or recovery.

Reducing Pressures (Commitments 5–8)

Commitment 5 — Sustainable harvest (GBF Target 5). India commits to sustainable, safe, and legal use of wild species while respecting customary sustainable use by Local Communities. Indicators track plants used in Indian systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani), fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels, illegal wildlife trade, Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas (MPCAs), and Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection. TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) is a named responsible agency, linking tribal livelihoods to sustainable use [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 6 — Invasive alien species (GBF Target 6). India commits to eliminating, minimising, reducing, or mitigating IAS impact, with islands identified as priority sites. Indicators track management plans integrated with PA and wetland management plans, rate of invasive species establishment, and invasive pest quarantine [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 7 — Pollution reduction (GBF Target 7). India commits to reducing pollution risks to levels not harmful to biodiversity, "reducing the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half" through integrated pest management, and working towards eliminating plastic pollution. Indicators track natural farming and organic certification, coastal water quality, e-waste and biomedical waste management, and freshwater services. The National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming (NCONF) leads on agrochemical pollution reduction [§5]. Measurability: Partially measurable — the pesticide and chemical risk reduction carries a 50% threshold and 2030 deadline; remaining pollution sub-commitments are directional aspirations.

Commitment 8 — Climate and biodiversity (GBF Target 8). India commits to minimising climate change impacts on biodiversity through nature-based solutions. Indicators track ecosystem-based adaptation strategies, biodiversity-inclusive State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs), and biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessments [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Tools and Solutions (Commitments 9–13)

Commitment 9 — Wild species use (GBF Target 9). India commits to sustainable management and use of wild species providing benefits for people in vulnerable situations. Indicators track folk users of medicinal plants documented through Peoples Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) prepared by BMCs, wild species recorded in PBRs, and Marine Stewardship Council certification of national marine catch [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 10 — Agriculture and forestry (GBF Target 10). India commits to sustainable management of agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, aquaculture, forests, grasslands, and coastal ecosystems. Fourteen national indicators cover natural farming, integrated pest management, agrochemical use, bio-fertilizers, soil quality, groundwater levels, traditional crop varieties, forest Working Plans under the National Forest Working Plan Code, and NTFP production [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 11 — Ecosystem services (GBF Target 11). Indicators track ambient air quality and water quality in metropolitan cities and critically polluted areas, including PM2.5 and PM10, and soil health parameters [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 12 — Urban biodiversity (GBF Target 12). India commits to "significantly increasing" urban green and blue spaces. Indicators include the Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity, cities preparing a City Biodiversity Index, and — distinctively — sacred trees and sacred groves in urban areas [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — "significantly" is undefined.

Commitment 13 — Genetic resources / ABS (GBF Target 13). India commits to fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources, digital sequence information, and traditional knowledge. Nine national indicators operationalise ABS through the Biological Diversity Act framework, including Genome Saviour Awards, Benefit Sharing Agreements, and Certificates of Origin issued by BMCs [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Implementation and Means (Commitments 14–23)

Commitment 14 — Mainstreaming (GBF Target 14). India commits to full integration of biodiversity into policies, regulations, and planning. Indicators track SBSAP and LBSAP preparation (see Governance section), biodiversity-attributable expenditure in multi-purpose schemes including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), and compliance with strategic environmental impact assessments [§5]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 15 — Business disclosure (GBF Target 15). Indicators track business responsibility and sustainability reporting by sector, with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as a lead agency and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) referenced as a complementary indicator. The India Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI) under CII is a named responsible body [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 16 — Sustainable consumption (GBF Target 16). Indicators track Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) outcomes, circular economy adoption, post-harvest storage losses for wheat and rice, municipal waste segregation, and Extended Producer Responsibility for hazardous waste, plastic, used batteries, and tyres [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 17 — Biosafety (GBF Target 17). Six indicators cover biosafety laboratories, LMO handling procedures, training of inspectors and officials, State Biotechnology Coordination Committees, and Risk Assessment and Risk Management for LMOs/GMOs. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) serves as the primary regulatory body [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 18 — Harmful subsidies (GBF Target 18). Indicators track policy instruments for subsidy repurposing, green budgeting as a percentage of total budget, chemical fertiliser subsidy reform, organic/bio-fertilizer promotion under the GOBAR-Dhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) scheme, and agricultural power subsidy reform [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 19 — Finance mobilisation (GBF Target 19). India commits to ensuring adequate financial resources from all sources to implement the NBSAP, SBSAPs, and LBSAPs. Indicators track Corporate Social Responsibility funds directed to biodiversity targets — leveraging India's mandatory CSR regime under the Companies Act 2013 — and innovative financial instruments including Green Credits, Green Bonds, ABS revenue, and Carbon Credits [§6]. No funding quantum is specified. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 20 — Capacity and technology (GBF Target 20). Eight indicators cover training at community level, awareness programmes conducted in regional and local languages, technology MoUs, biodiversity start-ups, and South-South and Triangular Cooperation [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 21 — Data and information (GBF Target 21). Indicators track digitisation of biodiversity data including electronic Peoples Biodiversity Registers (e-PBRs), biodiversity documentaries and films, museum exhibits, and visits to PAs and botanical gardens [§6]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 22 — Inclusive participation (GBF Target 22). Indicators track operationalisation of five participatory governance bodies: Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), BMCs, Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), Ecodevelopment Committees (EDCs), and Community Forest Resource Management Committees (CFRMCs). Autonomous Tribal District Councils are a designated responsible body [§7]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Commitment 23 — Gender equality (GBF Target 23). Five indicators track gender-responsive budget allocation for biodiversity, training of women BMC members, women's self-help groups dealing with bioresources, women's representation at PRI, district, and state levels, and a Gender Plan of Action for biodiversity conservation across all sectors. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (National Women's Fund) and the National Commission for Women are lead agencies [§7]. Measurability: Directional aspiration.

Sources:

• §4 — National Monitoring Framework (part 1/4)
• §5 — National Monitoring Framework (part 2/4)
• §6 — National Monitoring Framework (part 3/4)
• §7 — National Monitoring Framework (part 4/4)

4. Delivery Architecture

India's NBSAP translates its 23 national commitments into action primarily through an institutional assignment mechanism: each commitment designates a Lead Agency responsible for indicator development, data collection, field validation, and reporting, with one or more Collaborating Agencies [§4]. Lead Agencies submit data sets and monitoring results to the NBA for national reporting to the CBD through the Clearing House Mechanism.

Legislation

The Biological Diversity Act 2002 provides the statutory backbone, establishing the NBA, SBBs, and BMCs as the three-tier institutional structure. The Act underpins Access and Benefit-Sharing mechanisms, Peoples Biodiversity Registers, and Biodiversity Heritage Sites referenced across multiple commitments. Other legislation referenced includes environment impact assessment regulations and the Forest (Conservation) Act framework through the National Forest Working Plan Code [§4–§6].

Flagship programmes

Named programmes are tracked directly as indicators within the monitoring framework. Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) is tracked under commitment 16 for circular economy and sustainable consumption outcomes [§6]. MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) is tracked under commitment 14 for biodiversity-attributable expenditure in rural employment [§5]. GOBAR-Dhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan) is tracked under commitment 18 for organic and bio-fertilizer promotion [§6]. The Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats scheme is tracked under commitment 4 for species covered under the programme [§4].

Market and finance mechanisms

The NBSAP names Green Credits, Green Bonds, ABS revenue, and Carbon Credits as innovative financial instruments under commitment 19 [§6]. India's mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility regime under the Companies Act 2013 is leveraged through an indicator tracking the percentage of CSR funds directed to biodiversity targets [§6].

Institutional breadth

The monitoring framework names over 50 distinct agencies as Lead or Collaborating bodies, including: multiple ICAR national bureaux (NBPGR, NBAGR, NBFGR, NBAIM); ICFRE, FSI, WII, BSI, ZSI for forest and biodiversity research; NTCA for tiger conservation; CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards for pollution monitoring; SEBI for business disclosure; and specialised bodies such as the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and TRAFFIC India for illegal trade monitoring [§4–§7].

Sources:

• §4 — National Monitoring Framework (part 1/4)
• §5 — National Monitoring Framework (part 2/4)
• §6 — National Monitoring Framework (part 3/4)
• §7 — National Monitoring Framework (part 4/4)

4a. India's Three-Tier Biodiversity Governance: From National Targets to Village Committees

India's NBSAP embeds a national → state → local governance cascade as its primary implementation architecture. This three-tier structure, established under the Biological Diversity Act 2002, appears across multiple commitments and is one of the most detailed sub-national biodiversity planning systems in the GBF dataset.

National tier. The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), operating on behalf of MoEFCC, coordinates monitoring across all Lead Agencies, manages the National Biodiversity Monitoring System, and reports to the CBD. The NBA appears as a Lead or Collaborating Agency in the majority of the 23 commitments [§4].

State tier. State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) are responsible for preparing and implementing State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (SBSAPs), tracked as indicator 14.1 under commitment 14 [§5]. SBBs and State Forest Departments appear as responsible or collaborating agencies across virtually every commitment. SBBs also administer Biodiversity Heritage Sites, oversee ABS compliance, and coordinate with the NBA on national reporting [§4–§7].

Local tier. Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) operate at the panchayat (village council) level. Their primary output is the Peoples Biodiversity Register (PBR) — a community-level document recording local biological resources, their uses, and associated traditional knowledge. PBRs are tracked as indicators under commitments 9 (folk users of medicinal plants, indicator 9.1; wild species use, indicator 9.2) and 21 (electronic PBRs, indicator 21.1) [§5–§6]. BMCs also issue Certificates of Origin to industries and traders under commitment 13, and the number of operationalised BMCs is tracked under commitment 22 [§6–§7]. The preparation and implementation of Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (LBSAPs) is tracked as indicator 14.2 [§5].

This cascade extends to financing: commitment 19 explicitly frames resource mobilisation at all three tiers — NBSAP, SBSAPs, and LBSAPs [§6]. Gender equality provisions under commitment 23 similarly apply across all three levels, with training of women BMC members tracked as a distinct indicator [§7].

Sources:

• §4 — National Monitoring Framework (part 1/4)
• §5 — National Monitoring Framework (part 2/4)
• §6 — National Monitoring Framework (part 3/4)
• §7 — National Monitoring Framework (part 4/4)

5. Monitoring and Accountability

The National Biodiversity Monitoring Framework was developed through a national consultative process and inputs from the Working Group–NBSAP constituted by the NBA. It incorporates revised indicators from the CBD Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG), circulated on 18 May 2024 (CBD/SBSTTA/REC/26/1), and was finalised following regional consultations and an interministerial consultative process [§4].

Indicator architecture. For each of the 23 commitments, the framework organises indicators across four tiers: headline indicators aligned with the GBF monitoring framework, component indicators providing additional specificity, complementary indicators linking to SDG and other international frameworks, and other national indicators capturing India-specific monitoring needs. The total number of national indicators across all 23 commitments exceeds 130 [§4–§7].

Reporting cycle. The framework specifies a predominantly two-year reporting cycle across commitments [§4–§7].

Coordination. Each commitment's Lead Agency is described as "critical for effective coordination, development of relevant indicators, adoption of robust methodology and field validation, field level implementation, data collection and collation, storage of data sets and monitoring results, and reporting and dissemination of monitoring outcomes" [§4]. Lead Agencies may invite additional agencies as needed. The NBA consolidates data from all Lead Agencies for national reporting to the CBD through the Clearing House Mechanism [§4].

Baseline status. The monitoring framework specifies what will be tracked but provides no current baselines, starting values, or status assessments for any indicator [§4–§7].

Adoption status. The NBSAP notes that once the framework is approved and adopted, Lead Agencies and Collaborating Agencies "will be notified by the MoEFCC/NBA and entrusted the target specific responsibility" [§4] — indicating that formal notification of Lead Agencies had not yet occurred at the time of writing.

Sources:

• §4 — National Monitoring Framework (part 1/4)
• §5 — National Monitoring Framework (part 2/4)
• §6 — National Monitoring Framework (part 3/4)
• §7 — National Monitoring Framework (part 4/4)

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The available source material for India's NBSAP contains no substantive finance content. The extracted finance section (§7) consists of a references list. While several cited works relate to biodiversity finance — including a Biodiversity Expenditure Review conducted under the UNDP BIOFIN initiative, a Biodiversity Finance Plan published by the NBA, and a Financial Needs Assessment for implementing India's National Biodiversity Action Plan — these are bibliographic entries, not policy commitments or funding figures [§7].

No specific budget allocations, cost estimates, funding sources, or resource mobilisation targets can be extracted from the available material.

GBF Target 19 (finance mobilisation) receives substantive treatment through the monitoring framework — commitment 19 tracks financial resources from public, private, CSR, and philanthropic sources, CSR funds directed to biodiversity targets, and innovative financial instruments (Green Credits, Green Bonds, ABS, Carbon Credits) [§6]. However, no funding quantum is specified and no budget figures accompany these tracking indicators.

Sources:

• §6 — National Monitoring Framework (part 3/4)
• §7 — References

7. GBF Target Coverage

India's NBSAP explicitly addresses all 23 GBF Targets through its one-to-one national commitment structure. Each commitment is operationalised through the four-tier indicator architecture with designated Lead Agencies and a two-year reporting cycle.

Target 1: Spatial planning — Addressed

India commits to reflecting biodiversity in spatial planning through six national indicators tracking riverine, coastal, and wetland ecosystem change; wetlands under integrated management; shifting cultivation extent across three time cycles; Integrated Coastal Zone Management plans; and Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area management plans. The PARC-Connectedness index serves as a component indicator. Lead agencies include the Forest Survey of India, National Remote Sensing Centre, and National Centre for Coastal Research.

Target 2: Ecosystem restoration — Addressed

India commits to ensuring at least 30% of prioritised degraded areas are under effective restoration by 2030. Nine national indicators span forest cover, aquatic ecosystems, mangroves, river water quality, afforestation, desertification, agricultural land fertility, shifting cultivation, and wetland restoration. SDG indicator 15.3.1 (land degradation) is incorporated as a component indicator, and restoration monitoring links to the National Mission for Clean Ganga.

Target 3: Protected areas (30x30) — Addressed

India commits to conserving at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by 2030 through protected areas and OECMs. Eleven national indicators — the most for any commitment alongside Target 4 — track four PA legal categories (National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Conservation Reserve, Community Reserve), OECMs, Important Bird Areas, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, coastal Ecologically Sensitive Areas, and Eco-Sensitive Zones around PAs. Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity (SAGE) serves as a complementary indicator. Local Community rights, including tribal areas, are explicitly referenced.

Target 4: Species recovery — Addressed

India commits to halting human-induced extinction and maintaining genetic diversity through in situ and ex situ conservation. Fourteen national indicators cover population trends, the Red Data Book, the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats scheme, indigenous animal breeds and plant varieties, germplasm accessions, human-wildlife interaction management, and species recovery trends. Distinct institutional tracks exist for animal genetic resources (NBAGR), plant genetic resources (NBPGR), fish genetic resources (NBFGR), and microbial genetic resources (NBAIM).

Target 5: Sustainable harvest — Addressed

India commits to sustainable, safe, and legal use of wild species respecting customary use. Indicators track plants used in Indian systems of medicine, sustainable fisheries, illegal wildlife trade (monitored by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and TRAFFIC India), Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas, and NTFP collection through TRIFED. Marine Stewardship Council certification is tracked as a complementary indicator.

Target 6: Invasive alien species — Addressed

India commits to managing IAS impact, identifying islands as priority sites. Indicators track management plans integrated with PA and wetland management plans, invasive species establishment rates, area affected in PAs, a national IAS list, and invasive pest quarantine through the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage.

Target 7: Pollution reduction — Addressed

India commits to reducing pollution to levels not harmful to biodiversity and reducing pesticide and hazardous chemical risk by at least half. Indicators track natural farming and organic certification, coastal water quality, e-waste and biomedical waste, and freshwater services. The National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming leads on agrochemical pollution. Complementary indicators cover nitrogen deposition, municipal solid waste, plastic waste, and hazardous waste.

Target 8: Climate and biodiversity — Addressed

India commits to minimising climate impacts on biodiversity through nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches. Indicators track ecosystem-based adaptation strategies, biodiversity-inclusive State Action Plans on Climate Change, drinking water availability, biodiversity-inclusive EIA, and incentives for positive biodiversity contributions. The framework references the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Target 9: Wild species use — Addressed

India commits to sustainable management of wild species for social, economic, and environmental benefits. The primary documentation mechanism is PBRs prepared by BMCs (see Governance section), tracking folk users of medicinal plants and wild species recorded. Marine Stewardship Council certification of national marine catch is also tracked.

Target 10: Agriculture / forestry — Addressed

India commits to sustainable management across agriculture, fisheries, forests, grasslands, and coastal ecosystems. Fourteen national indicators cover natural farming, integrated pest management, agrochemical use, bio-fertilizers, soil quality, groundwater, traditional crop varieties, forest Working Plans under the National Forest Working Plan Code, NTFP production, and crop wild relatives. Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification are referenced as complementary indicators.

Target 11: Ecosystem services (NbS) — Addressed

India addresses ecosystem services through two national indicators: ambient air and water quality monitoring in metropolitan cities and critically polluted areas (including PM2.5 and PM10), and soil health parameters. Complementary indicators include WASH services and mortality rates attributed to unsafe water.

Target 12: Urban biodiversity — Addressed

India commits to increasing urban green and blue spaces. The Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity serves as a component indicator. National indicators track urban green/blue space availability, cities preparing a City Biodiversity Index, and — distinctively — sacred trees and sacred groves in urban areas. ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a named responsible agency.

Target 13: Genetic resources / ABS — Addressed

India commits to fair and equitable benefit-sharing from genetic resources, DSI, and traditional knowledge. Nine national indicators operationalise ABS through the Biological Diversity Act framework: intellectual property proposals, NBA approvals, gene bank accessions, Genome Saviour Awards, Benefit Sharing Agreements with BMCs, Certificates of Origin, and MoUs between SBBs/BMCs and industry. The ABS Clearing-House and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture are referenced.

Target 14: Mainstreaming — Addressed

India commits to full integration of biodiversity into policies and national accounting. Indicators track SBSAP and LBSAP preparation (extending to state and local plans), biodiversity-attributable expenditure in MNREGA and other multi-purpose schemes, and strategic environmental impact assessment compliance. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) is a component indicator.

Target 15: Business disclosure — Addressed

India commits to enabling business biodiversity disclosure. Indicators track business responsibility and sustainability reporting by sector, sector-specific biodiversity reporting, and risk disclosures. SEBI is a lead agency, TNFD is referenced as a complementary indicator, and the India Business and Biodiversity Initiative under CII is a named responsible body.

Target 16: Sustainable consumption — Addressed

India commits to encouraging sustainable consumption choices. Indicators track consumer awareness, post-harvest wheat and rice losses, municipal waste segregation, Mission LiFE outcomes and circular economy adoption, and Extended Producer Responsibility for four waste categories (hazardous waste, plastic, used batteries, tyres).

Target 17: Biosafety — Addressed

India commits to strengthening biosafety measures. Six indicators cover biosafety laboratories, LMO handling procedures, training of seed inspectors and customs officials, State Biotechnology Coordination Committees and District Level Committees, and Risk Assessment and Risk Management for LMOs/GMOs. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee under MoEFCC is the primary regulatory body. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is referenced.

Target 18: Harmful subsidies — Addressed

India commits to identifying and repurposing harmful incentives and scaling up positive incentives. Indicators track subsidy repurposing policy instruments, green budgeting as a percentage of total budget, chemical fertiliser subsidy reform, GOBAR-Dhan organic/bio-fertilizer promotion, and agricultural power subsidy reform by state-level utilities.

Target 19: Finance mobilisation — Addressed

India commits to ensuring adequate financial resources from all sources for NBSAP, SBSAP, and LBSAP implementation. Indicators track public, private, CSR, and philanthropic funding; CSR funds directed to biodiversity targets under the Companies Act 2013; and innovative instruments (Green Credits, Green Bonds, ABS, Carbon Credits). No funding quantum is specified, and no budget figures are provided.

Target 20: Capacity and technology — Addressed

India commits to capacity development and technology transfer through South-South, North-South, and Triangular Cooperation. Eight indicators cover community-level training, personnel capacity building, awareness programmes in regional and local languages, technology development MoUs, biodiversity start-ups, active biodiversity portals, and international cooperation funding.

Target 21: Data and information — Addressed

India commits to making science and knowledge accessible to decision-makers and the public. Indicators track digitisation of biodiversity data including e-PBRs (documented through PBRs — see Governance section), biodiversity films and documentaries, museum and science centre exhibits, and public visits to PAs and botanical gardens. The EIACP programme and connections to GBIF, IUCN Red List, and Living Planet Index are referenced.

Target 22: Inclusive participation — Addressed

India commits to full, equitable, gender-responsive participation in biodiversity decision-making. Indicators track capacity programmes and the operationalisation of five participatory governance bodies: PRIs, BMCs, JFMCs, EDCs, and CFRMCs. Autonomous Tribal District Councils are a designated responsible body, recognising constitutional provisions for tribal governance.

Target 23: Gender equality — Addressed

India commits to gender equality across all three planning tiers through a gender-responsive approach. Five indicators track gender-responsive budget allocation, training of women BMC members, women's self-help groups dealing with bioresources, women's representation at PRI and state levels, and a Gender Plan of Action for biodiversity conservation across all sectors. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (National Women's Fund) and the National Commission for Women are lead agencies.