India is committed to translate its “voluntary high-level principles” into action through innovation, and inclusive financing for disaster risk reduction (DRR), while strengthening international solidarity in this regard, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra said on Monday.
Speaking at the G20 ministerial meeting on DRR here, he urged the global grouping to strengthen interoperable regional platforms, shared data protocols, and joint capacity-building initiatives under the global “Early Warnings for All” framework. The official emphasised that early warning systems (EWS) were not technological luxuries but strategic investments in resilience. India, he said, viewed early warning as a global public good — inclusive, multilingual, and anticipatory.
India has put in place a multi-agency architecture integrating meteorological, hydrological, seismic, and oceanographic institutions through a Common Alert Protocol–compliant Integrated Alert System for EWS. This has already issued over 109 billion alerts.
According to Mishra, India’s constitutionally anchored model under the Finance Commission ensured a multi-year, rules-based DRR allocations, decentralized funding to the states and local bodies, and evidence-based prioritisation through a national Disaster Risk Index.
Highlighting India’s shift from a relief-centric to a risk-informed paradigm, he showcased innovative local-level mechanisms; dedicated mitigation funds, hazard-specific programmes, and community-based preparedness through Aapda Mitra volunteers that embed resilience directly into public finance and governance.
On the sidelines of the ministerial, Mishra held bilateral meetings with South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Netherlands. In his meeting with South African minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, he encouraged joint capacity building exercises, including through Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure membership.
Mishra had an extensive discussion with Australia’s minister for emergency management Kristy McBain on differentiated funding windows for the DRR.
Mishra also had fruitful interactions with Netherlands vice minister Maarten Van Aalst, and Brazilian vice minister Valder Ribeiro.