From protection to persistence: rethinking biodiversity conservation in India

India is globally recognised as a megadiverse country, supporting a substantial proportion of the world’s biodiversity across a wide range of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, while simultaneously sustaining nearly one-fifth of the global human population. The present study synthesises evidence on the current state of biodiversity conservation in India and the apparent paradox between expanding conservation initiatives and continued ecological degradation. While protected areas and species-focused recovery programmes have contributed to the persistence of several threatened taxa, pressures on ecosystem integrity remain widespread, driven by habitat loss and fragmentation, biome-specific protection gaps, climate change and governance and development-related challenges. Recent policy and programmatic efforts, including the diversification of conservation categories, species recovery initiatives, expansion of wetland protection and improved use of monitoring technologies, signal a growing national commitment. However, weak environmental appraisal, sectoral decision-making and uneven implementation continue to constrain outcomes. In the context of the Global Biodiversity Framework, India’s experience underscores the need to move beyond a narrow focus on expanding protected area coverage towards climate-adaptive and landscape-scale conservation strategies that prioritise ecological quality, connectivity and inclusive governance.