Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted India's commitment to helping other nations build robust cyclone warning systems, emphasizing the critical role of early warning and proactive disaster management in mitigating the impact of natural disasters.
Addressing the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) 2025 via video conference, Modi underscored the vulnerability of coastal regions and islands to the increasing threats of climate change and natural disasters. He cited recent calamities like Cyclone Remal in India and Bangladesh, Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean, Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Helene in the United States, Typhoon Usagi in the Philippines, and Cyclone Chido in parts of Africa, stressing that these events have caused significant loss of life and property, reinforcing the urgent need for resilient infrastructure.
The Prime Minister recalled India's own experiences with devastating disasters, including the super-cyclone of 1999 and the tsunami of 2004. He noted that India has not only recovered from these tragedies but has also emerged stronger by constructing cyclone shelters in vulnerable coastal areas and establishing a tsunami warning system that now benefits 29 countries. This initiative demonstrates India's dedication to disaster preparedness and its willingness to share its expertise and resources with other nations.
Modi praised the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for its ongoing work with 25 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to build resilient homes, hospitals, schools, energy systems, water security measures, and early warning systems. He acknowledged the active participation of countries from the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Caribbean regions and welcomed the African Union's involvement in the coalition's expanding network.
During his address, the Prime Minister outlined five key global priorities for building disaster-resilient infrastructure. First, he emphasized the importance of integrating disaster resilience courses, modules, and skill development programs into higher education to build a skilled workforce capable of tackling future challenges. Second, he called for the creation of a global digital repository to document best practices and learnings from countries that have faced disasters and rebuilt with resilience.
Third, Modi underscored that disaster resilience requires innovative financing and advocated for the development of actionable programs to ensure that developing nations have access to the necessary funds. Fourth, he reaffirmed India's recognition of SIDS as "Large Ocean Countries" and emphasized the need for special attention to their vulnerabilities. Fifth, he highlighted the necessity of strengthening early warning systems and coordination, noting their critical role in facilitating timely decision-making and effective last-mile communication.
India has already identified several of its neighboring countries, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Mauritius, as part of the United Nations' "Early Warnings for All" initiative, launched in 2022. Through the India Meteorological Department (IMD), India is providing technical support to these countries to build and strengthen their meteorological observations, granting them access to IMD's numerical models, and creating decision-support systems and computing power. The IMD is also developing a system for data exchange and warning dissemination in collaboration with the communication ministries of the respective nations.
The IMD also serves as the region's numerical weather prediction center and South Asia's center for severe weather forecast and tropical cyclone forecast support, making it a crucial part of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) global forecasting networks.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that discussions at the ICDRI conference would address these essential aspects, paving the way for infrastructure that stands firm against time and tide and building a strong and resilient future for the world.
