India has emerged as the global leader in implementing the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), having issued 3,561 Internationally Recognized Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs) — accounting for over 56% of the worldwide total. This remarkable achievement was facilitated by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) headquartered in Chennai.

The Nagoya Protocol, adopted in 2010 under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), establishes a transparent framework for access to genetic resources and ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization. India''s domestic implementation is anchored in the Biological Diversity Act 2002 and its amendment in 2023.

India''s leadership position reflects its commitment to protecting its rich biodiversity — the country is one of 17 mega-diverse nations hosting nearly 8% of the world''s recorded species. The NBA has streamlined the approval process for access to biological resources while ensuring that local communities receive fair benefits from commercial utilization of traditional knowledge and genetic resources.