India's Ramsar Wetlands Network Expands to 103 Sites
PIB Backgrounder · Environment · Posted 25 OCT 2026 9:43AM
What happened
India's network of Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance has expanded to 103 sites covering over 13.87 lakh hectares, with Sukhna Wetland and Sauj Jheel being the latest additions.
Why it matters for UPSC
This release is important for UPSC aspirants studying environmental governance, international conventions, and biodiversity conservation under the General Studies Paper III syllabus.
Key objectives
- India's network of Ramsar Sites reached 103 designated sites covering over 13.87 lakh hectares.
- Tamil Nadu has the highest number of sites at 20, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 14 sites.
- India ranks first in Asia and third globally in the number of Ramsar sites.
- Sukhna Wetland (Chandigarh) and Sauj Jheel (Uttar Pradesh) are the latest additions to the list as of October 15, 2026.