🗞️ Why in News India has issued 3,561 of the 6,311 Internationally Recognised Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs) globally under the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing — a 56.43% share, confirmed through MoEFCC data released March 31, 2026. Only 34 of 142 registered nations have issued any IRCCs, making India’s dominance even more remarkable.

The Nagoya Protocol — Background

What Problem Does It Solve?

The Nagoya Protocol addresses biopiracy — the unauthorised use of a country’s genetic resources (plants, animals, microbes, traditional knowledge) by foreign researchers or corporations without:

  1. Prior Informed Consent (PIC) from the source country
  2. Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) for how benefits from any resulting products/discoveries are shared

Classic example of biopiracy India suffered: Turmeric patent (1995) — two Indians living in the USA patented the wound-healing properties of turmeric; India successfully challenged this at the US Patent Office in 1997, producing 32 published documents proving prior art. Similarly, Neem (EPO patent on fungicidal properties, challenged by India/Greenpeace, revoked 2005) and Basmati rice (US patent attempts, challenged successfully).

Nagoya Protocol — Key Provisions

  • Adopted: October 29, 2010 at Nagoya, Japan (10th Conference of Parties to CBD)
  • Entered into force: October 12, 2014
  • Parent treaty: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 1992
  • India ratified: 2012

Core obligations on user countries:

  • Researchers/companies accessing genetic resources must obtain PIC and conclude MAT
  • Must comply with source country’s domestic ABS legislation
  • Record access in the ABS Clearing-House (managed by CBD Secretariat, Montreal)

Core obligations on provider countries:

  • Establish clear PIC and MAT procedures
  • Issue compliance certificates (IRCCs) on the ABS Clearing-House
  • Share benefits with local communities

India’s Framework — Biological Diversity Act, 2002

Three-Tier Structure

India’s ABS implementation operates at three levels:

National Level — National Biodiversity Authority (NBA):

  • Statutory body; established 2003; headquartered Chennai
  • Approves access to biological resources for foreigners, foreign-invested entities, and Indian companies for commercial/research purposes
  • Issues IRCCs on the ABS Clearing-House
  • Manages benefit-sharing negotiations

State Level — State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs):

  • 33 SBBs (one per state + UTs)
  • Regulate access by Indian citizens for non-commercial local use
  • Advise on conservation of biodiversity in their states

Local Level — Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs):

  • Mandatory at every local body (panchayat, municipality, corporation)
  • Maintain People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) — local documentation of biodiversity
  • ~2.7 lakh BMCs established across India

India’s IRCC Performance

Why India leads (56.43% of global IRCCs):

  1. Megadiverse nation: India is one of 17 globally recognised megadiverse countries — hosting ~7-8% of global biodiversity despite covering only 2.4% of land area
  2. Functional NBA: Unlike many countries that ratified but never built functional institutions, India’s NBA has been operationally active since 2003
  3. Proactive approach: India actively encourages legitimate access under PIC/MAT rather than blocking all foreign research
  4. Benefit sharing enforcement: ₹216.31 crore mobilised (2017-2025); ₹139.69 crore disbursed

Other top IRCC issuers (2026): France (964), Spain (320), Argentina (257), Panama (156), Kenya (144)

Biodiversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

From Aichi to Kunming-Montreal

The Aichi Biodiversity Targets (2010-2020) set goals under the CBD for the decade — India largely underperformed on targets related to habitat restoration and sustainable use, though it did well on protected area expansion.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) — adopted at CBD COP15 in December 2022 (Montreal, Canada) — replaced Aichi with 23 targets including the landmark “30×30” target:

  • Target 3: Protect at least 30% of land, inland water, coastal areas, and oceans by 2030
  • India’s current protected area: ~5.03% of land (National Parks + Wildlife Sanctuaries)
  • India’s stated goal under National Biodiversity Action Plan: 30% by 2030 — extremely ambitious given current baseline

ABS and the Digital Sequence Information (DSI) Question

A major unresolved issue at CBD: Digital Sequence Information (DSI) — genetic data uploaded to public databases (like GenBank). When a pharma company uses the sequence data of a pathogen from India to develop a drug, should India receive benefit-sharing even if no physical sample was ever accessed?

India’s position: Yes — DSI is an extension of genetic resources and should attract ABS obligations.

USA and industry position: No — DSI is freely available scientific data; imposing ABS would impede research.

This debate will define CBD COP16 negotiations and has direct implications for India’s pharmaceutical and biotech royalty interests.

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Nagoya Protocol (adopted 2010, Nagoya; entered force 2014); IRCC; ABS; CBD (1992); NBA; BMC; PBR; 30×30 target (Kunming-Montreal GBF); India’s 3,561 IRCCs (56.43%). Mains GS-3: “Access and Benefit Sharing under the Nagoya Protocol — has India’s Biological Diversity Act framework been effective?” Mains GS-2 (IR): “Digital Sequence Information and biodiversity governance — analyse the North-South divide at the CBD.” Interview: “India claims to be a biodiversity-rich nation and a global ABS leader. Yet over 50% of its land is degraded. How do you reconcile these realities?”

📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia

India & Nagoya Protocol (2026):

  • IRCCs issued: 3,561 (56.43% of global 6,311)
  • Only 34 of 142 registered parties have issued any IRCCs
  • Next: France (964), Spain (320), Argentina (257), Panama (156), Kenya (144)
  • Benefit sharing mobilised (2017-2025): ₹216.31 crore
  • Benefits disbursed: ₹139.69 crore

Nagoya Protocol:

  • Adopted: October 29, 2010 (COP10, Nagoya, Japan)
  • Entered force: October 12, 2014
  • Parent: CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity), 1992
  • India ratified: 2012
  • Key concepts: PIC (Prior Informed Consent), MAT (Mutually Agreed Terms), ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing)

India’s Biodiversity Framework:

  • Biological Diversity Act: 2002
  • National Biodiversity Authority (NBA): established 2003; Chennai; statutory body under MoEFCC
  • State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs): 33
  • BMCs: ~2.7 lakh (at panchayat/urban local body level)
  • People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs): local documentation of biodiversity

India’s Biodiversity Status:

  • One of 17 megadiverse countries
  • ~7-8% of global species (despite 2.4% land area)
  • 4 biodiversity hotspots: Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats-Sri Lanka, Sundaland
  • Forest cover: 25.17% of geographic area (FSI 2023)
  • Tiger count: 3,682 (2022 census); leopards: ~12,000-14,000; one-horned rhino: ~4,000

Kunming-Montreal GBF (2022):

  • Adopted: COP15, December 2022, Montreal, Canada
  • 23 targets; key: “30×30” — protect 30% land+ocean by 2030
  • India’s current protected area coverage: ~5.03% (far below 30×30 target)
  • CBD Secretariat: Montreal, Canada

Historic Biopiracy Cases:

  • Turmeric (1995): patented by NRI; India challenged; revoked 1997
  • Neem (1994): EPO patent on fungicidal use; India + Greenpeace challenged; revoked 2005
  • Basmati (1997): RiceTec patent on “basmati-like” rice; challenged; partially revoked

Other Relevant Facts:

  • ABS Clearing-House: CBD-managed online registry of all PIC/MAT agreements worldwide
  • DSI (Digital Sequence Information): genetic data in databases — hot-button ABS issue at CBD COP16
  • India submitted first National Report on Nagoya Protocol implementation: March 2026
  • Traditional knowledge: India’s TKDL (Traditional Knowledge Digital Library) has 34 million pages of prior art in 5 languages — prevents biopiracy patents

Sources: PIB, MoEFCC, CBD ABS Clearing-House, GKToday