The development of forest policies in India reflects a gradual shift from colonial commercial interests to conservation-oriented and participatory approaches, with significant implications for tribal communities whose lives have traditionally been intertwined with forests. Before colonial intervention, forests were largely managed by local communities, including numerous tribal groups such as the Gond, Santhal, and Bhil, who depended on them for livelihood, culture, and identity. Their customary rights included shifting cultivation, hunting, gathering, and use of minor forest produce. The formalization of forest policy began under British rule with the Forest Policy of 1894, which emphasized state control over forests primarily for revenue generation and supply of