Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday, 23 May 2026, launched 'Bringing the Cheetah Back to India', a book authored by diplomat Prashant Agrawal that chronicles the diplomatic negotiations behind India's landmark cheetah reintroduction programme.

Context

The book documents the behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts that enabled India to reintroduce cheetahs after roughly seven decades of their extinction from the subcontinent. The cheetah was officially declared extinct in India in the early 1950s, following the last confirmed sighting in 1947. Yadav described the work as 'a very important read for those interested in green diplomacy and all those who love and care for wildlife.'

Addressing the author directly on X, the minister expressed his wishes for the book's success, adding that the account would 'serve as a guiding light for those who carry forward the gains made so far at the diplomatic level.'

Policy Backdrop

In 2022, India launched Project Cheetah, which saw eight Namibian cheetahs translocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh — the first reintroduction of the species on Indian soil in modern history. Namibia was the primary source country under a bilateral wildlife agreement, making the initiative a flagship example of India's environmental diplomacy with African range states.

The programme sits within India's broader commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and national action plans for restoring threatened species. Agrawal's book, according to the minister, offers a rare public account of how those diplomatic channels were built and sustained.

Stakeholders and Impact

The reintroduction effort involves conservation biologists, diplomatic missions, and wildlife tourism operators, all of whom have a stake in the programme's long-term success. Yadav's endorsement of the book signals the government's intent to keep the diplomatic architecture of Project Cheetah visible and well-documented as the programme matures.

For researchers and policymakers, Agrawal's account is expected to offer a template for future bilateral wildlife agreements, particularly as India explores potential new source countries and additional release sites beyond Kuno National Park.

What's Next

The National Tiger Conservation Authority periodically releases status reports on cheetah survival, breeding, and habitat expansion, with the conservation community watching closely for milestones that would justify scaling the programme. The minister's remarks suggest the government views the diplomatic groundwork — now documented in Agrawal's book — as a foundation to build on rather than a chapter already closed.

As Project Cheetah moves beyond its early phase, the emphasis on institutional memory and green diplomacy points to India positioning itself as a model for large-carnivore reintroduction efforts across Asia.