- Why in news
- India made its opening statement at the 70th IWC meeting in Hobart, Australia (28 Sept to 2 Oct 2026), stressing science-based cetacean conservation. The meeting marks 80 years of the whaling convention.
- What it is
- The International Whaling Commission is the global body that manages whaling and conserves whales. It was set up under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, signed in Washington DC in 1946. Member governments meet to set whaling rules and conservation priorities.
- Membership
- IWC has 89 member governments.
- India's membership
- India has been an IWC member since 1981.
- Domestic protection
- Cetaceans in Indian waters get the highest legal protection under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- Arabian Sea humpback whale
- India gives particular importance to this whale, identified among 25 species for focused conservation.
Don’t confuse with IWC vs CITES: IWC manages whaling and whale conservation under the 1946 convention. CITES regulates international trade in endangered species.
Don’t confuse with IWC vs CMS: CMS (Bonn Convention) protects migratory species across range states. IWC is specific to whales and whaling.
International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.
Why it matters
- Shows India's support for science-based marine mammal conservation in a global forum.
Problems
- Threats to cetaceans such as bycatch, ship strikes and habitat loss need data on populations and movements.
Way forward
- Strengthen cooperation among range countries, scientists and local communities for locally suited measures.
Put in your answer
Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Gives cetaceans in Indian waters the highest legal protection.
Project Dolphin: Government initiative for holistic conservation of dolphins, whales, porpoises and their ecosystems.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.The International Whaling Commission was set up under a convention signed in Washington DC in 1946.
- 2.India has been a member of the International Whaling Commission since its founding in 1946.
- 3.Cetacean species in Indian waters receive the highest level of legal protection under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 4
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The International Whaling Commission was set up under a convention signed in Washington DC in 1946.
True. The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was signed on 2 December 1946 in Washington DC.
2.Cetaceans in Indian waters are protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, at the highest level of legal protection.
True. They receive the highest level of protection under the Act.
3.The 70th IWC meeting is being held in Geneva, Switzerland.
False. It is being held in Hobart, Australia.
4.Project Dolphin focuses only on river dolphins and excludes whales and porpoises.
False. Project Dolphin takes a holistic approach to conserving dolphins, whales, porpoises and associated aquatic ecosystems.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Source: PIB, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change., 28 Sep, 17:10 IST · Release 295401
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.