India’s 103 Ramsar sites explained: recognition, conservation and the Kolleru connection

India has 103 wetlands designated as Ramsar Sites, covering more than 13.87 lakh hectares across 28 States and Union Territories, according to a PIB backgrounder published on 25 October 2026. The document is a current overview of the network, not an announcement that all these sites were newly designated on its publication date.

The backgrounder says the tally reached 103 on 15 October, with Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh as the latest additions. It identifies Tamil Nadu as having 20 sites and Uttar Pradesh 14. Andhra Pradesh’s Kolleru Lake appears in the list as a freshwater wetland supporting grey pelicans and migratory waterbirds; the document does not announce a new Ramsar designation for Kolleru.

What does Ramsar recognition mean? It identifies a wetland as internationally important under the Convention on Wetlands. The framework combines the wise use of wetlands, designation and management of important sites, and international cooperation. Qualifying considerations include representative wetland types, threatened species, bird populations and fish habitats.

The recognition is a starting point for conservation, rather than evidence that a site’s ecological problems have been solved. PIB describes management planning, monitoring of ecological character and periodic updates of site information as continuing responsibilities. It also explains the Montreux Record as a mechanism for identifying Ramsar wetlands whose ecological character has changed or is at risk of changing.

For readers, the distinction is between the number of sites recognised and the condition of each wetland. The backgrounder’s national count does not itself measure water quality, habitat recovery or biodiversity outcomes at every location. Its stated purpose is to connect recognition with sustained conservation and local stewardship.

Source: PIB Research, Press Information Bureau, “Ramsar Sites in India: Safeguarding Wetlands of International Importance”, published 25 October 2026. Original KROV English explainer and Telugu adaptation, based on PIB’s own backgrounder; no third-party quotations, images or linked datasets are reproduced.