India’s Ramsar site tally reached 103 on 15 October 2026, following the addition of Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced the designations. Sukhna Wetland is Site No. 2602 on the Ramsar List, while Sauj Jheel is Site No. 2603.
Ramsar Convention and India
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. It was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 and came into force in 1975. The treaty takes its name from the city where it was adopted. Sites designated under the convention are included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance, commonly called the Ramsar List. India became a party to the convention in 1982. The 103-site tally is the latest figure as of 15 October 2026.
Sukhna Wetland
Sukhna Wetland is a peri-urban reservoir at the foothills of the Outer Himalayas. It is located in Chandigarh and is the Union Territory’s first Ramsar site. The wetland provides habitat for resident and migratory birds. Species recorded at the wetland include the vulnerable common pochard and the endangered Pallas’s fish eagle. The black pond turtle is also among the species associated with the site. Its Ramsar designation places it on the international list of wetlands of importance.
Sauj Jheel
Sauj Jheel is a shallow lake surrounded by farmland in the Ganga River floodplain, in Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh. It supports diverse waterbird species and is part of an ecological network that includes the nearby Saman Bird Sanctuary. Sauj Jheel is Mainpuri district’s second Ramsar site; the other is Saman Bird Sanctuary. Mainpuri is the only district in Uttar Pradesh with two Ramsar sites.
Important Facts for Exams
:
- The Ramsar Convention was adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 and entered into force in 1975.
- India became a party to the Ramsar Convention in 1982.
- Sukhna Wetland is Ramsar Site No. 2602, and Sauj Jheel is Ramsar Site No. 2603.
- Saman Bird Sanctuary is the other Ramsar site in Mainpuri district.
Wetlands include areas such as marshes, lakes, rivers and reservoirs, and can be natural or artificial. The Ramsar Convention promotes their conservation and wise use.
