International Cooperation on Disaster Management
Let’s begin with a simple idea — disasters don’t respect borders.
A cyclone that forms near the Andaman coast may hit Bangladesh, Myanmar, or Sri Lanka too.
Hence, disaster management must not remain only a national agenda — it must be a global partnership.
India, being one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries, plays a leadership role in shaping international cooperation on this front.
🇮🇳 India’s Global Role
India actively participates in several United Nations-led and regional platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
It works closely with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) — formerly known as UNISDR — and is a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).
India has also entered bilateral and multilateral agreements for cooperation, such as:
| Partner / Agreement | Nature of Cooperation |
| SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters | Regional cooperation among South Asian countries for sharing early warnings and humanitarian aid. |
| India–Russia Agreement (Emergency Management) | Exchange of expertise, training, and technology for disaster response. |
| India–Germany Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) | Collaboration on capacity building, research, and technology transfer in disaster management. |
🌐 India’s Partnership with International Agencies
India partners with a wide range of international bodies and frameworks that focus on different aspects of disaster management:
- UNDRR – global policy coordination for Sendai Framework implementation.
- World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) – global forum for reviewing progress.
- Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) – biennial platform under UNDRR.
- Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) – Asia-specific policy platform; India hosted the 2016 session.
- UNOCHA & UNDAC – coordinate international humanitarian relief and emergency response.
- INSARAG – sets global standards for urban search and rescue operations.
- GFDRR (World Bank) – supports disaster-risk financing and recovery.
- SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC-IU) – regional coordination for South Asia.
- ADRC / ADPC – Asian institutions promoting disaster preparedness and risk assessment.
- ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) – political and security dialogue including disaster cooperation.
🌍 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR)
The GPDRR is the most important international forum exclusively dedicated to disaster-risk reduction.
- Recognized by the UN General Assembly as the key mechanism to review progress of the Sendai Framework (2015-2030).
- Brings together governments, UN agencies, NGOs, and scientists to accelerate global DRR actions.
- The outcomes feed into the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), thus linking DRR directly with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
🌀 8th Session (GP2025)
| Item | Details |
| When | 2-6 June 2025 (preparatory days 2-3 June; official sessions 4-6 June) |
| Where | Geneva, Switzerland. Hosted by the Government of Switzerland in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) |
| Theme | “Every Day Counts: Act for Resilience Today” |
| Significance | It is the first major global review forum after the mid-term review of the Sendai Framework (May 2023), and falls in the final five years remaining until the Sendai deadline (2030) |
🏗️ Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
India launched the CDRI after hosting the Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR (2016, New Delhi).
It is a multi-stakeholder global partnership that promotes the idea of infrastructure that survives disasters.
Objectives:
- Develop common standards for resilient infrastructure design.
- Facilitate R&D, finance, and technology cooperation for infrastructure safety.
- Guide funding by multilateral banks towards resilience-oriented projects.
Four Thematic Areas:
| Theme | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1. Disaster Risk Assessment | Use long-term hazard data to produce probabilistic risk maps guiding resilient investments. |
| 2. Standards of Design & Implementation | Update national codes and construction standards in line with evolving hazard and engineering knowledge. |
| 3. Financing & Risk Coverage | Promote disaster-risk financing tools such as reserve funds and catastrophe bonds. |
| 4. Reconstruction & Recovery | Apply the “Build Back Better” principle for physical reconstruction and institutional recovery systems. |
Meaning of Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure
Infrastructure that can withstand extreme natural hazards and recover quickly from disruptions.
It involves:
- Structural measures: engineering design, embankments, seawalls, retrofitting, etc.
- Non-structural measures: risk-sensitive land-use planning, hazard mapping, ecosystem management, and financing mechanisms.
🌊 Suva Expert Dialogue on Loss and Damage
Origin: COP 23 (Bonn, 2017), initiated by developing countries demanding a dedicated discussion on loss and damage due to climate change.
Purpose:
To mobilize expertise, technology, capacity building, and finance for nations suffering irreversible climate impacts (like small-island states or Himalayan communities).
It complements the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage (WIM) established at COP 19 (2013) under the UNFCCC.
🧭 Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) on Loss & Damage
Established: 2013 (COP 19, Warsaw).
Anchored in: Article 8 of the Paris Agreement (2015).
Functions:
- Enhancing knowledge of comprehensive risk-management approaches.
- Strengthening coordination among UN bodies, governments, and research institutions.
- Enhancing support — finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.
🧩 Its aim is to help vulnerable developing countries avert, minimize, and address loss and damage caused by climate change — especially slow-onset events (sea-level rise, glacier melt) and extreme events (cyclones, floods).
🇮🇳 India’s Contributions: Hosting Global and Regional Exercises
India not only participates in global initiatives but also hosts major international meetings to share expertise and demonstrate leadership.
| Year | Event | Organiser / Location | Purpose / Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | South Asian Annual Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMEx) | New Delhi, India | Strengthened SAARC regional coordination for response to natural disasters. |
| 2016 | Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) | New Delhi, India | India introduced the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) concept. |
| 2016 | BRICS Ministers’ Meeting on Disaster Management | Udaipur, Rajasthan, India | Exchange of best practices among BRICS nations on disaster risk reduction. |
| 2017 | Inauguration of SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) | Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (GIDM), India | Established a regional knowledge-hub for South Asia. |
| 2017 | BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise (DMEx) | India (Bay-of-Bengal region) | Regional disaster-response training for BIMSTEC member countries. |
| 2018 | International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) | New Delhi, India | Foundation event for CDRI; focused on resilient infrastructure in disasters. |
| 2018 | India–Japan Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) | India | Bilateral cooperation in early-warning systems and urban safety. |
| 2019 | SCO Joint Urban Earthquake Search & Rescue Exercise (SCOJtEX) | New Delhi, India | Enhanced interoperability among Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) nations in earthquake response. |
| 2023 | First G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRR WG) Meeting | Under India’s G20 Presidency | Integrated DRR into the G20 agenda; aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction mid-term review. |
| 2023 | 6th World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM) | Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India | Promoted interaction of science, policy and practice to enhance resilience and disaster risk reduction. |
| 2025 | International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025 | Hosted in Europe (France) with India’s participation | Highlighted resilient infrastructure for coastal and island regions; showcased CDRI contributions from India. |
🧠 Essence
“Disaster management today is not just about saving lives after a calamity — it’s about building a world that suffers less damage to begin with.”
India’s journey from being a disaster-prone nation to becoming a disaster-management leader shows that cooperation is the new resilience.
Through initiatives like CDRI, global partnerships under the Sendai Framework, and leadership in G20 DRR forums, India is shaping a future where development and disaster preparedness go hand in hand.
