Ramsar Sites in India

India's network of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention has expanded from 26 sites in 2014 to 103 designated sites covering over 13.87 lakh hectares, ranking first in Asia and third globally. The Ramsar Convention, adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, operates on three pillars: wise use of wetlands, designation and effective management of Ramsar Sites, and international cooperation. India became a party to the Convention on February 1, 1982, with Chilika Lake and Keoladeo National Park being its first sites. Recent additions include Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh. Government conservation frameworks include the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA), Amrit Dharohar, Mission Sahbhagita, and MISHTI.