- Why in news
- On 25 October 2026, PIB issued a backgrounder on Ramsar Sites in India. India's tally reached 103 on 15 October 2026 with Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh) added.
- What it is
- The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. A Ramsar Site is a wetland listed as a Wetland of International Importance because it meets at least one of nine criteria. In India, States propose sites and the Environment Ministry sends them to the Ramsar Secretariat.
- India joined
- India became a Party to the Convention on 1 February 1982.
- Montreux Record
- A register of Ramsar Sites where ecological character has changed or is likely to change. Chilika was removed from it in 2002.
- Site
- Glaw Lake was designated India's 101st Ramsar Site.
- Location
- The lake lies within Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Growth of network
- India had 26 Ramsar Sites in 2014, according to the Minister.
- Water source
- The lake is fed by perennial mountain streams.
- Biodiversity
- Over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species are recorded in the site and its catchment.
- Convention
- The Ramsar Convention was adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
- 100th site
- Surha Tal is India's 100th Ramsar site.
- New site
- Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, was designated a Ramsar site.
- Flyway
- The site is a stopover on the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds in winter.
- Ramsar Convention
- Adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran, it is an intergovernmental treaty for conservation and wise use of wetlands.
- Listing body
- In India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change handles Ramsar site nominations.
- Number of sites
- India has 98 Ramsar sites, up from 26 in 2014.
- Convention adoption
- The Convention was adopted on 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran. World Wetlands Day marks this date.
- India's accession
- India became a signatory to the Convention on 1 February 1982.
- Asia ranking
- India leads Asia in the number of Ramsar sites.
- 2026 theme
- The theme was 'Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage'. The Ministry released the document Cultural Wonders of Ramsar Sites.
- New sites
- Patna Bird Sanctuary (Etah, Uttar Pradesh) and Chhari-Dhand (Kutch, Gujarat) were added to the Ramsar list.
- India's count
- India's Ramsar network grew from 26 sites in 2014 to 98 at present, per the Minister.
- Wildlife
- The two wetlands host migratory and resident birds, and animals such as chinkara, wolf, caracal, desert cat and desert fox.
- World Wetlands Day
- World Wetlands Day is observed on 2 February, the anniversary of the Convention's adoption in 1971.
Don’t confuse with Montreux Record vs Ramsar List: The Ramsar List holds all designated sites. The Montreux Record holds only sites under ecological threat.
Don’t confuse with Ramsar Site vs Wetland City Accreditation: A Ramsar Site is a wetland. Accreditation is for cities, such as Indore and Udaipur in January 2025.
Don’t confuse with Ramsar Convention vs Montreux Record: The Montreux Record lists Ramsar Sites facing ecological change; it is not the list of designations.
Don’t confuse with Ramsar Site vs Montreux Record: Ramsar Sites are listed wetlands of international importance. The Montreux Record lists Ramsar sites where ecological character has changed or is under threat.
Don’t confuse with Ramsar Convention vs CMS: Ramsar covers wetlands (1971, Iran); the Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn, 1979) covers migratory animals.
Don’t confuse with Ramsar Site vs Wildlife Sanctuary: Ramsar is an international listing for wetlands; a sanctuary is a domestic protected area under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. A site may fall within one.
Places in the news: 26 Prelims questions since 2013, rising (12% of news questions in 2022–26); they test location and why it matters.
Why it matters
- Wetlands buffer floods, recharge groundwater, sustain fisheries and shelter migratory birds.
- Ramsar listing gives international visibility, expert advice and access to small grants.
- Adds an Eastern Himalayan freshwater wetland to the Ramsar network and gives Arunachal Pradesh its first site.
- Supports biodiversity, water security and livelihoods of dependent communities.
- Reaching 100 sites shows growing wetland protection and global recognition of Indian wetlands.
- Wetlands support biodiversity, migratory birds, flood control, groundwater recharge and livelihoods.
- Community and cultural links, such as Wetland Mitras, make conservation more durable.
- Ramsar listing gives international recognition and supports wetland conservation and wise use.
Problems
- Listing alone does not stop encroachment, waste dumping and untreated effluent.
- Ecological character needs regular monitoring and updated management plans across 28 States and UTs.
- Remote high-altitude wetlands face climate change and catchment pressure.
- Designation does not itself ensure funded management or local participation.
- Listing does not itself stop encroachment, pollution or drainage of wetlands.
- Urbanisation, encroachment and pollution damage wetlands.
- Ramsar listing gives no legal protection by itself; it relies on domestic law.
- Listing alone does not stop encroachment, pollution or drying of wetlands; management must follow.
Way forward
- Notify sites under the 2017 Rules with Integrated Management Plans and monitor them regularly.
- Strengthen community stewardship, data sharing and sustainable livelihoods around wetlands.
- Prepare and implement a wetland management plan with community involvement.
- Monitor water quality and biodiversity regularly.
- Prepare site-level management plans with community participation and monitor water quality and bird populations.
- Enforce the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 and prepare site management plans.
- Involve local communities and use traditional knowledge in wetland management.
- Prepare and enforce site management plans with local community involvement and regular monitoring.
Put in your answer
MISHTI: Targets mangrove restoration over 540 sq km in nine States and four UTs.
Glaw biodiversity: Over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species are recorded in the site and catchment.
100 Ramsar sites: India now has 100 Ramsar sites, a useful data point on wetland conservation.
Growth in sites: India's Ramsar sites rose from 26 in 2014 to 98.
Urban pressure example: Delhi's minister said urbanisation, encroachments and human activity have hurt wetlands; Delhi targets restoring its water bodies in two years.
- 2018Mains GS3 · Q7Define wetland, explain Ramsar 'wise use' concept, cite two Indian Ramsar sites
- 2023Mains GS3 · Q17Comment on National Wetland Conservation Programme and name Indian Ramsar sites
- 2021Mains GS1 · Q6Environmental implications of reclaiming water bodies into urban land, with examples
- 2010Prelims Q59How should Ramsar Sites be maintained under the Convention: ecosystem approach, permitted use
- 2019Prelims Q40Are Ramsar obligations mandatory, and do the 2010 Wetland Rules cover catchments
- 2021Prelims Q54Identify Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol and Khatu as Ramsar sites
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Pairs
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following pairs about the Ramsar Convention and Ramsar Sites in India:
- 1.Montreux Record — Register of Ramsar Sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur
- 2.Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 — Notified under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
- 3.Chilika Lake and Keoladeo National Park — India's first Ramsar Sites, designated in 1981
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
True or false?
1 of 32
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The Ramsar Convention was adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
True. Adopted at Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
2.India ranks first in the world in the number of Ramsar Sites.
False. India ranks first in Asia and third in the world.
3.A wetland must satisfy all nine criteria to be designated a Ramsar Site.
False. It must meet at least one of the nine criteria.
4.The Montreux Record lists Ramsar Sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur.
True. It is a register of sites needing priority conservation attention.
5.Chilika Lake and Keoladeo National Park were India's first Ramsar Sites, designated in 1981.
True. Both became Ramsar Sites on 1 October 1981.
6.Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of Ramsar Sites among Indian States.
False. Tamil Nadu has the most (20), followed by Uttar Pradesh (14).
7.The Ramsar Information Sheet of a designated site must be updated every six years.
True. The sheet is updated every six years.
8.Glaw Lake is the first Ramsar Site of Arunachal Pradesh.
True. The release calls it the State's first Ramsar Site.
9.Glaw Lake is located within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary.
True. It lies within Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary.
10.Glaw Lake is a brackish coastal lagoon.
False. It is a freshwater lake in the Eastern Himalayas.
11.With Glaw Lake, India has 101 Ramsar Sites.
True. The tally reached 101.
12.The Ramsar Convention was adopted in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.
True. It was adopted in 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
13.Glaw Lake is fed mainly by glacial melt and has no perennial streams.
False. It is fed by perennial mountain streams.
14.Surha Tal, designated as India's 100th Ramsar site, is located in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh.
True. Surha Tal (Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary) is in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
15.The Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary is notable for its avifaunal diversity, including migratory and resident birds.
True. The release describes it as rich in birdlife, migratory and resident.
16.Surha Tal is the 100th Ramsar site in India and lies in Bihar.
False. It lies in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
17.India lists Ramsar sites through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
True. The MoEFCC is the nodal ministry for India's Ramsar listings.
18.Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary is located in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh.
True. It is in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.
19.With this designation, India has 99 Ramsar sites.
True. India's total is 99.
20.Shekha Jheel is described as a stopover on the Central Asian Flyway.
True. It lies on the Central Asian Flyway.
21.Shekha Jheel is a stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
False. It is on the Central Asian Flyway.
22.The Ramsar Convention is a treaty concerned mainly with conservation of migratory species of wild animals.
False. It concerns conservation and wise use of wetlands; migratory species is the CMS (Bonn Convention).
23.The Ramsar Convention was adopted in 1971 at Ramsar in Iran.
True. Adopted on 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
24.India has 98 Ramsar sites at present, up from 26 in 2014.
True. The count rose from 26 in 2014 to 98.
25.India has the largest number of Ramsar sites in the world.
False. India leads Asia, not the world; the UK and Mexico have more sites.
26.World Wetlands Day is observed every year on 2 February.
True. It marks the adoption of the Convention on 2 February 1971.
27.The Montreux Record is a register of Ramsar sites where ecological change has occurred or is likely.
True. It flags Ramsar sites under threat of ecological change.
28.Patna Bird Sanctuary, newly designated a Ramsar site, is located in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh.
True. Patna Bird Sanctuary is in Etah district, Uttar Pradesh.
29.Chhari-Dhand, newly added to the Ramsar list, is located in Rajasthan.
False. Chhari-Dhand is in Kutch district, Gujarat.
30.With these additions, India has 98 Ramsar sites, according to the Minister.
True. India's tally is 98 sites, up from 26 in 2014.
31.The Ramsar Convention was signed in Ramsar, Iran.
True. It was signed at Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.
32.Designation as a Ramsar site makes a wetland a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
False. Ramsar listing is under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, separate from the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
India's Ramsar network has grown from 26 sites in 2014 to 103 sites in October 2026, ranking first in Asia and third in the world. Examine the significance of Ramsar designation for wetland conservation in India. Discuss the adequacy of the legal and institutional framework, including the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, and suggest a way forward.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.