Lok Sabha Question No. 1271 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-18
Subject: International Cooperation on Disaster Management
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: E. T. MOHAMMED BASHEER

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1271

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2018/AGRAHAYANA 27, 1940 (SAKA) INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT 1271. SHRI E.T. MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) The  details of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  developing international cooperation in disaster management?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a): India plays an active role in global initiatives on disaster management. India is a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and is committed to achieve the priorities and the objectives through systematic and institutional efforts. With multi-dimensional initiatives and expertise, India is  taking  a  leading  role  in  strengthening  regional  cooperation  among  South Asian  countries  for  reducing  disasters.  India  is  one  of  the  participating countries and works closely with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster  Reduction ( UNISDR).  India  has  been  working  closely  with  many countries for the exchange of ideas and expertise in disaster management.

India had signed bilateral/ multilateral agreements with the several countries for cooperation in the field of disaster management like:

- i. Agreement between the Republic of India and the Swiss Confederation on Cooperation in the event of Disasters.

## LS.US.Q.NO.1271 FOR 18.12.2018

- ii. Agreement  between  India  and  Russia  on  cooperation  in  the  field  of Emergency Management.
- iii. SAARC Agreement on Rapid Response to Natural Disasters.
- iv. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Indonesia on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management.
- v. Joint  Declaration  of  Intent  (JDI)  between  India  and  Germany  on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management.
- vi. Memorandum  of  Cooperation  (MoC)  between  the  Ministry  of  Home Affairs, Government of India and the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan in the field of disaster risk reduction.
- vii. MoU  between  the  Republic  of  India  and  the  Govt.  of  Republic  of Tajikistan on Cooperation in the field of Disasters Management.

Government of India has partnership with various International Agencies in the field of Disaster Management such as United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction  (UNISDR),  The  World  Conference  on  Disaster  Risk  Reduction (WCDRR), Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR), Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), United Nations Disaster  Assessment  and  Coordination  (UNDAC),  International  Search  and Rescue Advisory Group  (INSARAG), Global Facility for Disaster  Reduction and

## LS.US.Q.NO.1271 FOR 18.12.2018

Recovery (GFDRR), SAARC Disaster Management Centre - Interim Unit (SDMCIU),  Asian  Disaster  Reduction  Center  (ADRC),  Asian  Disaster  Preparedness Centre (ADPC) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) etc. .

Various International Meetings/Exercises have been hosted by this Ministry for the purpose of Capacity Building in the field of Disaster Management like:

- i. Government  of  India  organized  the  South  Asian  Annual  Disaster Management Exercise (SAADMex) from 23-26 November 2015, in New Delhi.
- ii. The Meeting of BRICS Ministers for Disaster Management was held on 22 - 23 August, 2016 in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
- iii.  Government of India, in collaboration with the United Nation International  Strategy  for  Disaster  Reduction  (UNISDR),  hosted  the Asian  Ministerial  Conference  on  Disaster  Risk  Reduction  (AMCDRR) 2016 in New Delhi from 3-5 November 2016.
- iv. The Government of Republic of India hosted the first Annual Disaster Management  Exercise  for  'Bay  of  Bengal  Initiative  for  Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation' (BIMSTEC) countries (BIMSTEC DMEx-2017)  on  10-13  October,  2017  in  New  Delhi  and  the  National Capital Region (NCR).

## LS.US.Q.NO.1271 FOR 18.12.2018

- v. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), organized first of its kind International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) on 15-16 January, 2018 in New Delhi.
- vi. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, organized the first IndiaJapan Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction on 19-20 March, 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
- vii.  The Government of India will organize a Joint Urban Earthquake Search and  Rescue  exercise  of  Shanghai  Cooperation  Organization  (SCO) member states to improve collective preparedness in March, 2019.

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