Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced on 3 August 2026 that Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh has been designated as the state’s first Ramsar Site, a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Located deep within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Lohit district of the Eastern Himalayas, this pristine freshwater lake is fed by perennial mountain streams and supports remarkable biodiversity, including over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species. With this addition, India’s total count of Ramsar Sites has risen to 101, reinforcing the country’s position as the nation with the highest number of such wetlands in Asia.
What Is the Ramsar Convention?
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an international treaty adopted on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, from which it takes its name. It came into force on 2 February 1975 and remains the oldest global intergovernmental treaty focused on the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The convention was initially designed to protect wetland habitats for migratory waterbirds, but its scope has since expanded to cover all aspects of wetland ecosystem services, including water regulation, flood control, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
A Ramsar Site is a wetland designated under this convention for its international ecological significance. Each Contracting Party to the convention commits to designating suitable wetlands within its territory for inclusion in the Ramsar List and to ensuring their conservation and wise use. As of 2026, there are nearly 2,600 Ramsar Sites across 172 Contracting Parties, covering almost 2.5 million square kilometres of the Earth’s surface.
India became a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982. Since then, it has progressively expanded its network of designated wetlands, moving from 26 Ramsar Sites in 2014 to 101 today. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is the nodal ministry for Ramsar Convention implementation in India, while the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 provide the domestic legal framework for wetland protection.
Glaw Lake: A Pristine Wetland in the Eastern Himalayas
Glaw Lake, also known as Glow Lake and locally called Glaw Tuwi or Glaw Hawai, is a high-altitude freshwater lake situated at an elevation of approximately 1,700 metres (5,500 feet) in the core zone of the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary. The lake covers an area of about 130 hectares (320 acres) and is fed by perennial mountain streams that flow through the surrounding dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas.
The lake’s extreme remoteness has been its greatest protector. Completely inaccessible by motor vehicles, reaching Glaw Lake requires an 8 to 12-hour trek covering roughly 15 kilometres from the sanctuary’s entrance. This isolation has preserved the lake in its pristine natural condition, free from significant human disturbance.
Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary
The Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1989 in the south-eastern part of the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh. Spread across 783 square kilometres, the sanctuary is named after the Kamlang River that flows through it. In December 2015, it was declared as India’s 50th Tiger Reserve by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The sanctuary is one of twelve protected areas in Arunachal Pradesh and shares its southern border with the Namdapha National Park, another major wildlife habitat in the state. The region lies within the Eastern Himalayas biodiversity hotspot, which is globally recognised for its exceptional biological diversity and high levels of endemism.
Ecological Significance of Glaw Lake
The Glaw Lake wetland and its catchment area support remarkable floral diversity, with over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species recorded within the site. The surrounding vegetation ranges from tropical wet evergreen forests in the lower reaches (below 1,200 metres) to alpine vegetation at higher elevations, including on the Daphabum peak that borders Namdapha National Park.
The fauna in the region is equally rich. The Kamlang sanctuary is home to 61 species of mammals, including the Bengal tiger, common leopard, clouded leopard, snow leopard and the rare marbled cat. The park also shelters six of India’s fifteen primate species, including the capped langur, rhesus macaque, stump-tailed macaque, Assamese macaque, eastern hoolock gibbon and the Bengal slow loris. Additionally, 105 bird species and 20 reptile species have been documented in the sanctuary.
The lake holds deep cultural significance for the local Mishmi tribe, particularly the Digaro Mishmi and Miju Mishmi communities who reside around the sanctuary’s periphery. The Mishmi people consider Glaw Lake sacred, believing it to be the abode of ancestral spirits.
From 26 to 101: India’s Expanding Ramsar Network
India’s journey under the Ramsar Convention has been marked by a dramatic acceleration in recent years. When the country joined the convention in 1982, it designated only a handful of wetlands. By 2014, India had 26 Ramsar Sites. In the decade since then, the network has expanded nearly fourfold, reaching 101 sites with the addition of Glaw Lake.
Tamil Nadu leads the states with the highest number of Ramsar Sites at 20, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 11. Other states with significant Ramsar representation include Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, and Madhya Pradesh. The designation of Glaw Lake marks a significant moment for Arunachal Pradesh, which until now had no Ramsar Site despite being one of India’s most ecologically rich states.
India now holds the distinction of having the highest number of Ramsar Sites in Asia and the third highest globally, after the United Kingdom (176) and Mexico (144). Globally, there are nearly 2,600 Ramsar Sites across 172 Contracting Parties, covering approximately 2.5 million square kilometres of wetland ecosystems.
Growth of India’s Ramsar Network
| Period | Number of Ramsar Sites |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 26 |
| 2022 | 75 |
| 2024 | 85 |
| 2026 (till July) | 100 |
| 2026 (after Glaw Lake) | 101 |
The rapid expansion reflects India’s growing commitment to wetland conservation under the National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP), which was launched in 1985-86 by the then Ministry of Environment and Forests. The programme aims to identify and conserve wetlands of national significance through a multi-stakeholder approach involving central and state governments, local communities and scientific institutions.
Why Wetland Conservation Matters
Wetlands are often called the “kidneys of the Earth” for their role in filtering water and regulating hydrological cycles. They are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, providing a wide range of ecosystem services that directly benefit human populations.
Ecosystem Services Provided by Wetlands
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Water regulation | Wetlands store and slowly release water, maintaining base flows in rivers and recharging groundwater |
| Flood control | They act as natural sponges, absorbing excess rainfall and reducing flood peaks |
| Water purification | Wetland vegetation and soils trap sediments, filter pollutants and break down harmful bacteria |
| Carbon sequestration | Peatlands and marshes store vast amounts of carbon, helping mitigate climate change |
| Biodiversity habitat | Wetlands support a disproportionately high number of species relative to their area |
| Livelihood support | Fisheries, agriculture and raw materials from wetlands sustain millions of people |
Despite their ecological value, wetlands worldwide face severe threats from drainage, land conversion, pollution and climate change. The Global Wetland Outlook estimates that 35 per cent of the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1970, with the rate of loss accelerating in recent decades.
In India, the Ramsar designation provides an additional layer of protection for wetlands that are already covered under domestic laws. Ramsar Sites must be managed in accordance with the convention’s guidelines on “wise use”, which balance conservation with the sustainable utilisation of wetland resources by local communities.
Significance for Arunachal Pradesh
For Arunachal Pradesh, the designation of Glaw Lake as a Ramsar Site carries special importance. The state, which sits at the junction of the Indo-Burma and Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspots, is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world. It is home to over 2,000 flowering plant species, more than 600 bird species and numerous endangered mammals.
However, the state’s remote terrain, limited infrastructure and competing development pressures pose ongoing challenges for conservation. The Ramsar designation for Glaw Lake could help mobilise international attention and resources for protecting not just the lake itself but the broader Kamlang landscape, including the Namdapha-Kamlang corridor that connects two critical wildlife habitats.
The Way Forward
The designation of Glaw Lake as a Ramsar Site is not an end in itself but a starting point for more focused conservation action. The site now needs a Ramsar Site Information Sheet detailing its ecological character, management objectives and monitoring protocols, in line with the convention’s requirements.
India’s wetland conservation efforts will also be shaped by the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, which prohibit activities such as reclamation, solid waste dumping and establishment of new industries in or near notified wetlands. The rules also mandate the preparation of management plans for each wetland, with the involvement of local communities and scientific experts.
As India crosses the milestone of 101 Ramsar Sites, the focus must now shift from designation to effective management and monitoring. The challenge lies in ensuring that these sites receive the attention, funding and institutional support needed to safeguard their ecological integrity for future generations.
Key Takeaways
- Glaw Lake in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh has been designated as India’s 101st Ramsar Site and the first Ramsar Site in Arunachal Pradesh, as announced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on 3 August 2026.
- The lake is located within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, which was established in 1989 and declared India’s 50th Tiger Reserve in December 2015.
- Glaw Lake is a high-altitude freshwater lake at approximately 1,700 metres, covering about 130 hectares, and is home to over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species.
- India became a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982 and has expanded its network from 26 Ramsar Sites in 2014 to 101 today.
- India has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in Asia and the third highest globally, after the United Kingdom (176) and Mexico (144).
- The Ramsar Convention was adopted on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and came into force on 2 February 1975, making it the oldest global treaty focused on wetland conservation.
