India postpones big cat summit over Ebola outbreak

India said Thursday it would reschedule next month's summit on the conservation of big cat species to ensure the participation of African nations grappling with Ebola.

The decision came hours after India and the African Union decided to postpone a key economic summit due to the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Following the postponement of the fourth India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi, the big cat gathering will also be rescheduled, India's environment ministry said, adding that African nations are "important partners in global efforts" towards biodiversity protection.

The inaugural big cat summit aimed at protecting the world's seven key big cat species was scheduled to be held on June 1-2.

New dates would be set later, the ministry said.

The big cat summit is set to bring together representatives from nearly 95 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

India, which is home to around 70 percent of the world's tiger population, has long played a leading role in big cat conservation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi first proposed the idea of an "alliance of global leaders to curb poaching", building on India's push to protect tigers to other big cat species.

The government approved an $18 million budget over five years in 2024 for the New Delhi-based IBCA.