🧭June 15, 2025 Post 1: PM Addresses International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025 | High Quality Mains Essay: Engineering Resilience: India’s Leadership in Disaster-Ready Infrastructure | For IAS-2026 :Prelims MCQs
PM Addresses International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025
INTERNATIONAL
📅 Post Date: June 15, 2025
📘 Thematic Focus: GS3 / Disaster Management | Climate Resilience | Infrastructure Diplomacy
🌀 Opening Whisper
“When we build stronger, we build not just for today, but for storms we haven’t seen yet.”
🔍 Key Highlights
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 2025 edition of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) — held for the first time in Europe.
- The event aligns with the UNDRR Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) and the upcoming UN Oceans Conference (UNOC3) in Geneva.
- Theme: “Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions” – spotlighting climate risks to islands and coastal infrastructure.
- Recent global disasters mentioned:
- Cyclone Remal (India-Bangladesh),
- Hurricane Beryl (Caribbean),
- Typhoon Yagi (South-east Asia),
- Hurricane Helene (U.S.),
- Typhoon Usagi (Philippines),
- Cyclone Chido (Africa)
- PM Modi recalled India’s resilience milestones:
- 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone,
- 2004 Tsunami response,
- Nationwide cyclone shelters and tsunami warning systems
- He laid out five global priorities:
- Integrating disaster resilience into education
- Creating a digital repository of best practices
- Mobilizing innovative financing for developing nations
- Supporting Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
- Strengthening early warning systems
- India’s Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) expanded to include the African Union and 25 Small Island nations.
📘 Concept Explainer: What is the CDRI?
- Launched in 2019 by India with UNDRR support
- A global partnership of 40+ governments, development banks, academia, UN agencies, and private firms
- Aims to strengthen infrastructure resilience to climate and disaster risks
- Aligned with the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Supports both retrofitting existing infrastructure and designing future projects to be climate-resilient
🧭 GS Mains Mapping
- GS Paper 3 – Disaster Management | Climate Adaptation | Infrastructure
- GS Paper 2 – International Cooperation | India’s Global Leadership | SDGs
- Essay – “Resilient Infrastructure: Building Safety into Development” or “Climate and Crisis: Engineering Against Uncertainty”
💭 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk
“Resilience is not built in peace; it is prepared in quiet for the fury of what may come.”
High Quality Mains Essay For Practice :
Word Limit 1000-1200
Engineering Resilience: India’s Leadership in Disaster-Ready Infrastructure
Introduction
In a world shaken by ever-intensifying climate events, the resilience of infrastructure is no longer optional—it is existential. The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) 2025, addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marks a significant step in reimagining development through the lens of preparedness, equity, and global solidarity. Hosted for the first time in Europe, the conference reflects India’s rising voice in climate diplomacy and disaster risk governance.
As cyclones, hurricanes, and floods ravage coastlines from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia, the event’s central theme—“Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions”—is both timely and strategic. This essay explores India’s leadership in the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), its key contributions, global partnerships, and the wider implications for sustainable development and disaster management.
Understanding the Imperative: Why Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure?
Infrastructure is often called the backbone of economic development. Yet, it is also the most vulnerable to natural disasters—roads collapse in floods, power lines snap in cyclones, hospitals become inaccessible during earthquakes. The World Bank estimates that natural disasters cost the global economy over $500 billion annually, disproportionately affecting developing nations.
The ICDRI 2025 conference highlights the convergence of:
- Climate change impacts (more frequent, severe disasters)
- Urbanisation pressure (overstressed infrastructure)
- Coastal vulnerability (rising sea levels, storm surges)
- Need for international knowledge-sharing
Hence, resilient infrastructure is not only a protective shield but a development multiplier.
India’s Voice: From Tsunamis to Tsunami-Ready
In his keynote address, PM Modi recounted India’s hard-earned wisdom from the 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone and the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. These tragedies spurred reforms:
- Cyclone shelters across coastal states
- The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) in Hyderabad
- Institutional mechanisms like the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Today, India not only protects its own coastlines but shares early warning alerts with neighbours in the Indian Ocean Rim.
CDRI: Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
Launched in 2019 by India with support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), CDRI is a multi-stakeholder global partnership. It brings together:
- 40+ Member Countries
- UN bodies (UNDP, UNDRR)
- Multilateral banks (World Bank, ADB)
- Research institutions and private sector
Its mission is to:
- Promote climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure
- Help countries integrate resilience in planning and design
- Support sustainable infrastructure financing
In 2025, the African Union joined the CDRI, expanding the coalition’s scope to include regions that are both climate-vulnerable and investment-deficient.
Conference Priorities: The Modi Framework for Resilient Infrastructure
PM Modi outlined five key global priorities at the ICDRI 2025:
1. Mainstreaming Resilience in Education
- Integrating disaster education into school curricula
- Building a culture of risk awareness among youth
2. Digital Repository of Global Best Practices
- A shared database of building codes, early warning tools, and indigenous knowledge
- Ensures low-cost replication and capacity building
3. Innovative Financing Mechanisms
- Climate bonds, parametric insurance, risk pooling
- Easing access to resilience funding for developing countries and island states
4. Supporting Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
- SIDS face existential climate threats but lack engineering and financial capacity
- India pledges to provide technical support and satellite data sharing
5. Early Warning Systems
- Building on the Early Warning for All (EW4All) initiative
- Ensuring timely alerts across rural and underserved regions
Linkages to Global Frameworks
The CDRI and ICDRI are closely aligned with:
- Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–30): Reducing infrastructure and livelihood loss
- Paris Climate Agreement: Adaptation and resilience financing
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Especially SDG 9 (resilient infrastructure), SDG 11 (sustainable cities), SDG 13 (climate action)
By emphasizing prevention and resilience, India champions a shift from reactive relief to proactive risk mitigation.
Case Examples of Global Infrastructure Failure
The importance of ICDRI’s agenda is underscored by real disasters:
- 2019 Mozambique Cyclone Idai: 90% of infrastructure destroyed
- 2023 Türkiye Earthquake: Structural collapse of non-compliant buildings
- Cyclone Freddy (2023, Malawi–Mozambique): Over 600 deaths, roads washed away
Resilience, if built in advance, could have saved lives, reduced costs, and ensured faster recovery.
India’s Role as a Global First Responder
Beyond CDRI, India’s proactive disaster diplomacy includes:
- Operation Dost (2023) – Rescue missions in Türkiye-Syria
- SAARC Disaster Management Centre – Knowledge sharing
- Hosting BIMSTEC Disaster Mitigation Exercises
These actions establish India as not just a beneficiary of global resilience, but a provider of it.
Challenges Ahead
Despite momentum, obstacles remain:
A. Financing Gaps
Developing nations require ~$4 trillion annually for resilient infrastructure, but face high interest rates and limited access to climate funds.
B. Technological Divide
While AI/IoT-based risk monitoring is advanced in the West, many developing countries lack basic GIS mapping tools.
C. Compliance and Enforcement
Resilience frameworks often remain on paper. Building code enforcement and retrofitting old structures are politically difficult.
D. Data Scarcity
Without long-term hazard data or damage estimates, infrastructure planning remains reactive.
Way Forward: Resilience as Core to Development
India’s leadership in ICDRI can be further enhanced by:
- Promoting climate resilience audit for public infrastructure
- Setting up a Resilience Impact Rating akin to ESG benchmarks
- Collaborating with climate-vulnerable regions like the Caribbean and Pacific Islands
- Creating a National Resilience Fund to support pilot projects across rural and urban India
Conclusion
The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025 marks not just an event, but a commitment to future-proof development. As India steps forward as a convener of global resilience thinking, it must continue to blend technology, tradition, and diplomacy.
The storms of the 21st century are not just meteorological—they are institutional, financial, and geopolitical. But by building strong, inclusive, and adaptive infrastructure, India and its partners can ensure that when the winds rise, the world does not fall.
🪔 Closing Whisper — by IAS Monk
“Infrastructure is not merely concrete and steel; it is the memory of every lesson a flood once taught us.”
Target IAS-26: Daily MCQs :
📌 Prelims Practice MCQs
Topic: Engineering Resilience: India’s Leadership in Disaster-Ready Infrastructure
MCQ 1 – Type 1: How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) 2025:
1. It was hosted in Europe for the first time.
2. Its 2025 theme focused on resilience in coastal regions and islands.
3. India’s Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) welcomed the African Union during the event.
4. PM Modi announced five key priorities including education, early warning systems, and innovative financing.
How many of the above statements are correct?
A) Only two
B) Only three
C) All four
D) Only one
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: C) All four
🧠 Explanation:
•1) ✅ True – ICDRI 2025 was hosted in Europe for the first time.
•2) ✅ True – The theme was “Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions.”
•3) ✅ True – The African Union joined CDRI during this conference.
•4) ✅ True – PM Modi announced five key priorities including disaster education, early warning, global repository, SIDS support, and innovative financing.
MCQ 2 – Type 2: Two Statements Based
Consider the following two statements:
1. CDRI was launched in 2019 by India with support from UNDRR.
2. CDRI focuses exclusively on retrofitting existing structures in developing countries.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
A) Only 1 is correct
B) Only 2 is correct
C) Both are correct
D) Neither is correct
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: A) Only 1 is correct
🧠 Explanation:
•1) ✅ True – It was launched in 2019 by the Government of India.
•2) ❌ False – CDRI focuses on both existing and future infrastructure, not only retrofitting.
MCQ 3 – Type 3: Which of the statements is/are correct?
Which of the following are priorities outlined by PM Modi at ICDRI 2025?
1. Creating a digital global repository of best practices
2. Integrating disaster resilience in school education
3. Enabling SIDS with financial and technical support
4. Expanding India’s fiscal deficit to fund coastal infrastructure
Options:
A) 1, 2 and 3 only
B) 1 and 4 only
C) 2 and 4 only
D) All four
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation
✅ Correct Answer: A) 1, 2 and 3 only
🧠 Explanation:
•1) ✅ True – A global repository was among the key proposals.
•2) ✅ True – Disaster education integration was prioritized.
•3) ✅ True – Support for Small Island Developing States was announced.
•4) ❌ False – No mention of expanding fiscal deficit.
MCQ 4 – Type 4: Direct Fact
Which of the following global frameworks is most directly aligned with CDRI’s objectives?
A) Kyoto Protocol
B) Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
C) WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
D) Hague Convention on Cultural Property
🌀 Didn’t get it? Click here (▸) for the Correct Answer & Explanation.
✅ Correct Answer: B) Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
🧠 Explanation:
•The Sendai Framework (2015–2030) is focused on disaster risk reduction, infrastructure resilience, and early warning systems—core to CDRI’s mission.