India–Nepal Environmental MoU (Feb 2026): New Push for Transboundary Ecosystem Conservation
India and Nepal have signed an Environmental MoU to deepen cooperation on forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation and climate change, with a clear emphasis on restoring wildlife corridors and interlinking areas to create transboundary conservation landscapes. The agreement reflects a shift toward “ecological diplomacy,” treating shared ecosystems—especially across the Himalayan foothills and Terai belt—as connected natural systems that require coordinated management.
What was signed and who signed it?
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India signed the MoU with the Ministry of Forests and Environment, Government of Nepal in New Delhi. The signing took place in the presence of India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Nepal’s Cabinet Minister for Forests and Environment Madhav Prasad Chaulagain.
The MoU is designed to strengthen cooperation through knowledge exchange, technical support, and sharing of best practices—particularly in cross-border biodiversity and climate-related challenges.
Why transboundary conservation is necessary (the ecological logic)
Wildlife and ecological processes do not follow political borders. India and Nepal share connected habitats—rivers, forests, grasslands and mountain ecosystems—where animals migrate, disperse and maintain genetic diversity across landscapes. When corridors break due to infrastructure expansion, habitat fragmentation or land-use change, it increases human-wildlife conflict and can isolate wildlife populations, weakening long-term conservation outcomes.
Both countries have extensive protected areas and are also parties to multiple multilateral environmental agreements, making coordinated action more feasible—and increasingly necessary—given shared threats like wildlife crime, habitat degradation and climate stress.
Key focus areas of the MoU (what it aims to do)
The MoU lays out cooperation at a landscape level and highlights several action domains.
1) Landscape-level biodiversity strategies (species focus)
A major feature is the emphasis on creating conservation strategies across landscapes, with focus on key species that often move across borders or depend on connected habitats:
- Elephant
- Gangetic dolphin
- Rhinoceros
- Snow leopard
- Tiger
- Vultures
This species list is significant because it spans both lowland riverine/grassland ecosystems (Gangetic dolphin, rhino) and high-altitude Himalayan systems (snow leopard), indicating a broad ecosystem approach.
2) Wildlife corridor restoration and transboundary landscapes
The MoU specifically mentions restoration of corridors and other interlinking areas to support the creation of transboundary conservation landscapes. This is critical for reducing fragmentation and improving safe movement routes for wide-ranging species like tigers and elephants, while also supporting ecosystem services like flood buffering and watershed stability.
3) Stronger protected area and forest management
The agreement provides for strengthened forest and protected area management, which typically includes better monitoring, habitat improvement, and improved coordination between agencies across the border.
4) Combating forest and wildlife crime
The MoU explicitly includes cooperation to combat forest and wildlife crime, an important cross-border issue given illegal wildlife trade networks and the need for intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement.
5) Capacity building of frontline staff
It includes strengthening the capacity of frontline staff of enforcement agencies, which is essential for improving ground-level outcomes such as patrolling efficiency, conflict mitigation, rescue protocols and evidence handling.
6) Smart green infrastructure in biodiversity hotspots
A notable forward-looking element is the emphasis on promoting smart green infrastructure in biodiversity hotspots. This points to nature-sensitive infrastructure planning—like wildlife crossings, corridor-friendly road/rail design, and minimising habitat disruption—so that development does not permanently sever ecological connectivity.
How does this fit into a broader “Terai–Himalaya” conservation approach
Although the PIB note does not name specific landscapes like TAL, it clearly orients cooperation around shared ecosystems and transboundary habitats, which are most prominent in the Terai–Shivalik belt and Himalayan regions. The focus on elephants, rhinos, tigers and vultures strongly aligns with the biodiversity priorities of the India–Nepal border landscapes, where corridor-based conservation is often the deciding factor for long-term survival of these populations.
Implementation challenges to watch
- Coordination and data-sharing: Cross-border conservation needs real-time coordination on wildlife movement, crime patterns and habitat pressures—often difficult without standardised protocols.
- Balancing development and connectivity: Ensuring “smart green infrastructure” is applied consistently requires planning integration across sectors, not just forest departments.
- Enforcement capacity: Wildlife crime control and corridor protection depend heavily on trained staff, resources and sustained political/administrative support.
Why is this MoU significant
The MoU is expected to deepen India–Nepal cooperation in wildlife and biodiversity conservation and contribute to the protection of shared ecosystems and sustainable natural resource management in the region. It also elevates the idea that environmental stability and biodiversity protection can be a core pillar of bilateral relations—not only an add-on to security and trade diplomacy.
FAQs
Q1. What is the India–Nepal Environmental MoU about?
It promotes bilateral cooperation in forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation and climate change, including restoration of wildlife corridors and exchange of technical expertise and best practices.
Q2. Where was the MoU signed and who were present?
It was signed in New Delhi in the presence of India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav and Nepal’s Cabinet Minister Madhav Prasad Chaulagain.
Q3. Which species are specifically highlighted in the MoU?
Elephant, Gangetic dolphin, rhinoceros, snow leopard, tiger and vultures are explicitly mentioned as key species.
Q4. What does the MoU say about wildlife corridors?
It includes restoration of corridors and interlinking areas towards creation of transboundary conservation landscapes.
Q5. Does the MoU address wildlife crime?
Yes, it explicitly includes combating forest and wildlife crime and capacity building of frontline enforcement staff.
Q6. What is “smart green infrastructure” in this context?
The MoU mentions promoting smart green infrastructure in biodiversity hotspots—development approaches that reduce ecological damage and preserve habitat connectivity.
