Why in news?
The National Biodiversity Authority formed an expert panel on invasive alien species. The panel was constituted in March 2026 after tribunal proceedings. It will prepare a national list and recommend management measures. The 28 July archive revisited this earlier decision.
Background
Biodiversity means the variety of life and its ecological relationships.
It includes diversity within genes, among species and across ecosystems.
People depend on biodiversity for food, medicine, water and livelihoods, while its decline can weaken ecosystem stability.
How India’s biodiversity framework developed
| Year | Development |
|---|---|
| 1992 | The Convention on Biological Diversity opened for signature at Rio. |
| 2002 | India enacted the Biological Diversity Act. |
| 2003 | The National Biodiversity Authority was established. |
| 2004 | Rules supported implementation of the Act. |
| 2023 | Parliament amended several access and compliance provisions. |
| 2024 | New Biological Diversity Rules replaced the earlier rules. |
| 2026 | An expert committee began work on invasive alien species. |
What is the National Biodiversity Authority?
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is an autonomous statutory body under the Union Environment Ministry.
Its headquarters is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and the Biological Diversity Act provides its legal foundation.
Three main objectives of the law
- Conserve biological diversity, and use biological resources sustainably.
- Share benefits from their use fairly and equitably.
The third objective is commonly called access and benefit-sharing.
What is access and benefit-sharing?
A company may use a biological resource for a commercial product.
Local knowledge may identify a resource’s value, while benefit-sharing seeks fair returns for lawful providers and conservers.
Benefits can be monetary or non-monetary, including royalties, technology transfer or community development.
India’s three-tier institutional structure
| Level | Institution | Main role |
|---|---|---|
| National | National Biodiversity Authority | Regulation, advice and national coordination |
| State | State Biodiversity Board | State-level regulation and advice |
| Local | Biodiversity Management Committee | Local conservation, documentation and consultation |
Local bodies create Biodiversity Management Committees, which help prepare People’s Biodiversity Registers within their jurisdictions.
Such registers document local resources and associated knowledge.
Composition of the national authority
The Central Government appoints the authority’s members.
- An experienced biodiversity expert serves as Chairperson, and 16 ex officio members represent relevant Union ministries and institutions.
- Four State Biodiversity Board representatives serve by rotation, and five non-official members provide specialised expertise.
- A Member-Secretary brings experience in biodiversity conservation.
The amended authority therefore has 27 members in total.
An ex officio member serves because of another official position.
Main functions of the authority
- It regulates specified access to Indian biological resources, and it determines benefit-sharing terms under applicable provisions.
- It advises governments on biodiversity conservation, and it supports state boards and local committees.
- It can oppose certain foreign intellectual property claims, and it guides identification and management of biodiversity heritage sites.
Exact permission requirements depend on the applicant and proposed activity.
The amended Act and current rules should decide such questions.
What is an alien species?
An alien species occurs beyond its natural range after deliberate or accidental human introduction.
An alien species is not automatically harmful.
When does it become invasive?
An invasive alien species establishes and spreads, causing ecological, economic, social or health-related harm.
How do alien species arrive?
- Ships may carry organisms in ballast water, and imported plants can escape gardens or farms.
- Pets and aquarium species may be released, and pests may hide inside traded goods and packaging.
- Transport corridors can carry seeds into new habitats.
Why can invasive species cause serious damage?
- They may outcompete native species for space and food, and new predators may attack unprepared native animals.
- They can introduce unfamiliar diseases and parasites, and dense growth may alter fire and water cycles.
- Agricultural invasions can reduce yields and raise costs, and some species damage fisheries and water infrastructure.
Examples familiar in India
| Species | Common concern |
|---|---|
| Lantana camara | Forms dense thickets in forests and grazing areas |
| Water hyacinth | Blocks water bodies and lowers oxygen levels |
| Prosopis juliflora | Spreads strongly across several dry landscapes |
Impacts differ by ecosystem, climate and management, because a useful species may cause damage elsewhere.
Why was the committee formed?
The National Green Tribunal examined invasive alien species through suo motu proceedings.
Suo motu means action taken on the tribunal’s own initiative.
This proceeding highlighted risks to biodiversity, farming and health.
The NBA then created a committee for coordinated national work.
Committee mandate
- Prepare a consolidated national list using state inputs, and identify and prioritise the highest-risk species.
- Recommend science-based management and restoration measures, and draft national prevention, control and eradication guidance.
- Document successful practices for wider use, and identify knowledge gaps and necessary research.
- Improve long-term data generation and policy responses.
The committee has a two-year working period.
Why does a national list need care?
Presence alone does not show ecological impact, because experts need evidence of spread, damage and affected habitats.
Different states may use different names, while taxonomic revisions can change a species’ scientific name.
A credible list therefore needs evidence and regular updates.
Best order for management
- Prevention: Stop high-risk species before entry.
- Early detection: Find new populations quickly.
- Rapid response: Remove them before wider spread.
- Eradication: Eliminate feasible local populations completely.
- Control: Limit damage when eradication is impossible.
- Restoration: Help native ecosystems recover afterward.
Prevention usually costs less than controlling a widespread invasion.
Global significance
Global assessment has recorded more than 37,000 established alien species.
More than 3,500 of them have documented harmful impacts.
Invasive alien species contributed to 60 per cent of recorded extinctions.
They were the sole driver in 16 per cent, but these remain global rather than India-specific findings.
Kunming-Montreal biodiversity target
Target 6 addresses invasive alien species under the global biodiversity framework.
Countries should reduce introduction and establishment rates by at least half by 2030.
Countries should prioritise high-risk pathways, species and sites, while India’s committee can support this global commitment.
Conclusion
A credible national list can move India from scattered control toward coordinated prevention.