Since 2014, India, under the leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has made consistent and measurable progress in conserving its flora and fauna. Through a combination of policy initiatives, Jan Bhagidari, and improved environmental governance, the country has seen significant improvements in forest cover, wetland protection, and wildlife conservation.

India's forest and tree cover has steadily increased. According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, the country now has 8.27 Lakh sq. km under forest and tree cover, accounting for 25.17% of its geographical area. It now includes 7.15 Lakh sq. km of forest cover and 1.12 Lakh sq. km of tree cover. In urban and semi-urban areas, programmes like the Nagar Van Yojana are supporting the creation of green spaces, with over 546 urban forest projects sanctioned. Campaigns such as Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, launched in 2024 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have led to the planting of over 142 crore trees. Overall, the efforts to expand the forest area also contributed to a rise in India's total carbon stock in forests at 7,285.5 million tonnes in 2023, which increased by 81.5 million tonnes from 2021.

Wetlands play an important role in supporting biodiversity and regulating ecosystems. India now has 89 Ramsar sites, up from 26 in 2014, making it the country with the most Ramsar wetlands in Asia and the third-highest globally. This increase is the result of targeted initiatives, such as the Amrit Dharohar, Mission Sahbhagita, and the Save Wetlands Campaign, which have engaged over 20 lakh citizens and facilitated boundary demarcation, health assessments, and the establishment of local volunteer networks for wetland monitoring. Indore and Udaipur have become the first Indian cities to gain international recognition as accredited wetland cities under the Ramsar Convention.

India is home to many of the world's rare and endangered species, and over the last 11 years, there has been a determined effort to protect them. These efforts have helped preserve biodiversity and have demonstrated how environmental conservation is planned and carried out in the country.

The story of tiger conservation in India is most widely known for its achievement, which is a result of long-term planning by the Modi government, careful habitat management, and consistent monitoring. In 2014, India had 2,226 tigers, which by 2022 had grown to 3,682. India is now home to more than 70% of the global wild tiger population. The network of protected areas has expanded as well, with 58 tiger reserves now covering over 84,000 square kilometres.

The reintroduction of the cheetah in 2022 marked another landmark in India's conservation efforts. Seventy years after the species had become extinct in the country, PM Modi led the initiative to translocate cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa and release them in Kuno National Park. India's total cheetah population now stands at 31. Kuno alone houses 29 cheetahs, including 19 cubs and 10 adults. The birth of cubs is a sign of adaptation and a promising indicator of future population recovery.

India's elephant population has also shown a positive trajectory. The number rose from 26,786 in 2018 to 29,964 in 2022, and India is home to over 60% of the global Asian elephant population. The nation has 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 states, spanning 80,777 sq. km, providing protected habitats and safe migratory corridors for elephants. Long-range corridor mapping and cooperation with neighbouring countries have played a crucial role in ensuring safe migratory routes for elephants. The Modi government has identified 150 Elephant Corridors in 15 States and 110 critical sites along a 1,800 km stretch of existing railway lines across the country for implementing mitigation strategies.

In Assam, the protection of the one-horned rhinoceros has helped stabilize their numbers. In Kaziranga National Park, which hosts 2,613 rhinos, no incidents of poaching were reported in 2022. The milestone is the result of improved enforcement, enhanced surveillance, and strong support from local communities, which are key stakeholders in wildlife conservation efforts.

In Gujarat, the Asiatic lion has also seen a significant population increase. In 2010, there were 411 lions in the Gir forest. By 2020, this number had increased to 674. The progress was made possible through habitat conservation and the involvement of local communities who have long coexisted with these animals.

The Modi government's holistic approach to the environment has received dedicated attention to aquatic ecosystems. Under Project Dolphin, India carried out its first satellite tagging of a Ganges River dolphin in 2024. A national census in 2025 estimated a population of 6,327 dolphins across 28 rivers. The initiative will go a long way in efforts to achieve a better understanding of habitat use and has strengthened the basis for policy interventions in river conservation.

Taken together, India's progress in protecting its forests, wildlife, and wetlands over the last eleven years shows what focused planning and public participation can achieve. From growing green cover and saving tigers to bringing back cheetahs and protecting rivers, the work has been steady, and the results are impressive. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, conservation has become a national effort and is backed by science, supported by people, and aligned with climate goals. This approach will continue to guide India as it works to protect nature.