DoT and CDRI Unveil Roadmap to Strengthen India’s Telecom Resilience Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) Released Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment Framework CDRI presents a telecom resilience framework aligned with global resilience frameworks
Key strategic measures identified to enhance telecom sector resilience
DoT calls for collective action from the government, industry, and disaster agencies to build a disaster-resilient telecom ecosystem
A disaster risk and resilience index developed for 5 States
Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 4:09PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), today launched a comprehensive report on Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment Framework (DRRAF), marking a major step towards strengthening India’s telecom sector against disasters. The report is part of a comprehensive study on National and Sub-national Disaster Risk & Resilience Assessment for the Telecommunication Sector by CDRI. The study was conducted across five states—Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat—focusing on disaster risks and resilience strategies specific to the telecom sector. DoT facilitated the necessary coordination with State Governments, Telecom Service Providers, and Infrastructure Providers to arrange the data required for the study.
In his message in the inaugural session, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) & Chairman, Digital Communications Commission (DCC), emphasized that building telecom resilience is a national priority. He reiterated DoT’s commitment for ensuring seamless connectivity prior, during, and after disasters, aligning with the UN’s ‘Early Warning For All by 2027’ initiative. He called for coordinated action from Government agencies, telecom operators, and disaster management bodies to ensure India’s telecom infrastructure remains robust in the face of natural calamities.
Addressing the impact and potential of the study and framework, CDRI Director General Amit Prothi emphasized the telecom sector’s significant contribution to India’s GDP, highlighting that resilient telecom networks are critical for economic growth, disaster response, and uninterrupted connectivity. He further stated that the CDRI’s study offers a scalable model, actionable insights, and global best practices for resilient communication services.
Recalling his experience with disasters, Mr. Manish Sinha, Member (F), DoT, emphasized the importance of telecom network post disasters. He further highlighted that technology has improved further. He further highlighted the outcomes of the study lays out a roadmap for minimizing service disruptions, strengthening infrastructure, and improving emergency response mechanisms.
Emphasizing the importance of inter-ministerial coordination, Shri Sanjay Agrawal, DDG (DM), DoT, highlighted the invaluable support of all LSAs, TSPs, Infrastructure Providers, and Industry Associations (DIPA, COAI, IBF), along with government agencies such as NDMA and SDMAs. He added that their valuable insights and on-ground experiences have significantly enriched this study, ensuring that the recommendations are not only technically sound but also practically implementable.
The DoT has been proactively implementing several strategic initiatives to enhance disaster preparedness and telecom resilience, including:
· Real-time coordination with LSAs, State Governments, and telecom operators for rapid disaster response.
· Nationwide implementation of an indigenous Cell Broadcast System for emergency alerts.
· Deployment of Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) networks in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
· Strengthening regulatory support for telecom operators to ensure quick restoration of services.
· Promoting satellite-based communication and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) to maintain connectivity in disaster-hit regions.
Key Insights and Recommendations from the Study:
The study conducted a multi-hazard risk assessment across 0.77 million telecom towers, mapping risks from floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and other disasters. A disaster risk and resilience index has been developed to assess the vulnerability of telecom infrastructure based on disaster intensity, frequency, and impact.
The Report has outlined a set of key recommendations aimed at strengthening the sector’s resilience and preparedness in the face of disasters. These recommendations emphasize a multi-pronged approach, combining technical enhancements, governance reforms, financial investments, and stakeholder collaboration.
The key strategic recommendations include:
Enhancing technical planning and design to ensure telecommunications infrastructure can withstand disaster impacts.
Developing a robust multi-hazard information repository to enable data-driven risk management.
Implementing risk-informed governance to integrate disaster resilience into sectoral policies.
Developing risk-sharing instruments to safeguard telecom operators against financial vulnerabilities.
Establishing a cross-sectoral framework to drive stakeholder collaboration and coordinated response mechanisms.
Strengthening financial arrangements to support the resilience of critical telecom infrastructure.
Promoting last-mile connectivity and information access to ensure inclusivity during emergencies.
Leveraging digital and collaborative efforts to enhance service restoration in crisis situations.
Upscaling institutional capacity and last-mile expertise to improve emergency preparedness.
Implementing precise monitoring mechanisms to enhance service quality and reliability.
These recommendations aim to fortify the telecom sector’s ability to withstand disasters, ensuring seamless connectivity and rapid restoration of services. With DoT’s leadership and multi-stakeholder engagement, the adoption of this roadmap will empower India’s telecom sector to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from disasters, ensuring uninterrupted communication even in times of crisis.
With this risk and resilience study and framework, CDRI aims to mainstream resilience principles in telecom infrastructure at the policy and planning level, and promote cross-sectoral collaboration and coordination, both in India and globally.
About CDRI
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), an international organization launched by the Prime Minister of India, is a global partnership of 49 members dedicated to climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure solutions. It is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and academia. CDRI advances the cause of climate and disaster resilient infrastructure (DRI).
On the margins of Aero India 2025, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings with Minister of Defence, Zimbabwe Mrs Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri; Minister of Defense, Yemen Lt Gen Mohsen Mohammed Hussein Al Daeri; Minister of Defense, Ethiopia Mrs Aisha Mohammed (Eng.); Minister of Defence, Gambia Mr Sering Modou Njie and Minister of National Defence, Gabon Ms Brigitte Onkanowa in Bengaluru on February 12, 2025.
During the meeting with the Defence Minister of Zimbabwe, both sides reviewed existing bilateral defence cooperation and agreed to cooperate in areas of training, military courses and capacity building of the Armed Forces of Zimbabwe. Both leaders signed an MoU on defence cooperation and expressed confidence that this would lead to further deepening of ties. They underscored the importance of regular engagements between the Defence Ministers to effectively implement the MoU. Both countries affirmed their commitment to deepen collaboration between the defence industries for production and maintenance of assets. Cooperation in the fields of Military Medicine was also discussed.
During the meeting with the Ethiopian Defence Minister, both leaders expressed satisfaction at the growing bilateral defence ties. Acknowledging the importance of close and active engagement, both Ministers signed an MoU cooperation in the field of defence for institutionalising the ongoing ties. Both sides considered collaboration in various areas including military training, courses, peacekeeping and capacity building of the Armed Forces of Ethiopia. Discussions to further strengthen defence industry cooperation were also held and India’s emerging private sector was highlighted.
In the meeting with the Defence Minister of Yemen, both leaders took note of enhancing engagements in the field of defence. To take this a step further, both leaders held discussions for partnership in the field of military training, courses and capacity building of the Armed Forces of Yemen. The meeting gave an additional impetus and guidance to the deepening of the defence cooperation between India and Yemen.
During the meeting with the Gambian Defence Minister, both leaders reiterated their commitment to working together in defence domain. The two leaders reaffirmed their desire to enhance cooperation for capacity building, capability enhancement and sharing of best practices for the mutual benefits of both sides. Both sides also highlighted the huge potential for defence industry cooperation.
Raksha Mantri’s meetings with the Defence Minister of Gabon provided both sides with an opportunity to discuss the matters related to bilateral defence cooperation. Both leaders pledged to continue to deepen cooperation and focused their discussions on key issues related to training and capability enhancement of the Armed Forces. Both sides also explored the possibility to collaborate in the area of defence industry.
The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) are released on 12th of every month (or previous working day if 12th is a holiday) with a six weeks lag and compiled with data received from source agencies, which in turn receive the data from the producing factories/ establishments. These Quick Estimates will undergo revision in subsequent releases as per the revision policy of IIP.
2. Key Highlights:
The IIP growth rate for the month of December 2024 is 3.2 percent which was 5.2 percent (Quick Estimate) in the month of November 2024.
The growth rates of the three sectors, Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity for the month of December 2024 are 2.6 percent, 3.0 percent and 6.2 percent respectively.
The Quick Estimates of IIP stands at 157.2 against 152.3 in December 2023. The Indices of Industrial Production for the Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity sectors for the month of December 2024 stand at 143.1, 156.2 and 192.8 respectively.
Within the manufacturing sector, 16 out of 23 industry groups at NIC 2 digit-level have recorded a positive growth in December 2024 over December 2023. The top three positive contributors for the month of December 2024 are – “Manufacture of basic metals” (6.7%), “Manufacture of electrical equipment” (40.1%) and “Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products” (3.9%).
In the industry group “Manufacture of basic metals”, item groups “MS blooms/ billets/ ingots/ pencil ingots “, “Galvanized products of Steel (including colour coated tin plates, TMBP and Tin free steel)”, “Pipes and tubes of Steel”, have shown significant contribution in growth.
In the industry group “Manufacture of electrical equipment”, item groups “Electric heaters”, “Transformers (Small)”, “End facing connector for optical fibres and cables” have shown significant contribution in growth.
In the industry group “Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products” item groups “Diesel”, “Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF)”, “Naphtha” have shown significant contribution in growth.
As per the use base classification, the indices stand at 157.7 for Primary Goods, 114.5 for Capital Goods, 169.3 for Intermediate Goods and 191.7 for Infrastructure/ Construction Goods for the month of December 2024. Further, the indices for Consumer durables and Consumer non-durables stand at 124.0 and 166.0 respectively.
The corresponding growth rates of IIP as per Use-based classification in December 2024 over December 2023 are 3.8 percent in Primary goods, 10.3 percent in Capital goods, 5.9 percent in Intermediate goods, 6.3 percent in Infrastructure/ Construction Goods, 8.3 percent in Consumer durables and (-)7.6 percent in Consumer non-durables (Statement III). Based on use-based classification, top three positive contributors to the growth of IIP for the month of December 2024 are – Primary goods, Intermediate goods, and Infrastructure/ construction goods.
Monthly Indices and Growth Rate (in %) of IIP for the last 13 months
3. Along with the Quick Estimates of IIP for the month of December 2024, the indices for November 2024 have undergone the first revision and those for September 2024 have undergone final revision in the light of the updated data received from the source agencies. The Quick Estimates for December 2024, the first revision for November 2024 and the final revision for September 2024 have been compiled at weighted response rates of 91 percent, 95 percent and 96 percent respectively.
4. Details of Quick Estimates of the Index of Industrial Production for the month of December 2024 at Sectoral, 2-digit level of National Industrial Classification (NIC-2008) and by Use-based classification are given at Statements I, II and III respectively. Also, for users to appreciate the changes in the industrial sector, Statement IV provides month-wise indices for the last 13 months, by industry groups (as per 2-digit level of NIC-2008) and sectors.
5. Release of the Index for January 2025 will be on Wednesday, 12th March 2025.
Note: –
This Press release (English and Hindi Version) is also available at the Ministry’s Website –http://www.mospi.gov.in.
Headline Inflation:Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of January 2025 over January 2024 is 4.31% (Provisional). There is decline of 91 basis points in headline inflation of January, 2025 in comparison to December 2024. It is the lowest year-on-year inflation after August, 2024.
Food Inflation:Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for the month of January 2025 over January, 2024 is 6.02% (Provisional). Corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban are 6.31% and 5.53%, respectively. All India inflation rates for CPI(General) and CFPI over the last 13 months are shown below. A sharp decline of 237 basis point is observed in food inflation in January, 2025 in comparison to December, 2024. The food inflation in January, 2025 is the lowest after August, 2024.
Rural Inflation:Significant decline in headline and food inflation in rural sector observed in January 2025. It is 4.64% (provisional) in January, 2025 while the same was 5.76% in December, 2024. The CFPI based food inflation in rural sector is observed as 6.31% in January, 2025 in comparison to 8.65% in December, 2024.
Urban Inflation: Sharp decline from 4.58% in December, 2024 to 3.87% (Provisional) in January, 2025 is observed in headline inflation of urban sector. Similar decline is observed in food inflation which is decreased from 7.9% in December, 2024 to 5.53% in January, 2025.
Housing Inflation:Year-on-year Housing inflation rate for the month of January, 2025 is 2.76%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of December, 2024 was 2.71%. The housing index is compiled for urban sector only.
Education Inflation:Year-on-year Education inflation rate for the month of January, 2025 is 3.83%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of December, 2024 was 3.95%. It is combined education inflation for both rural and urban sector.
Health Inflation:Year-on-year Health inflation rate for the month of January, 2025 is 3.97%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of December, 2024 was 4.05%. It is combined health inflation for both rural and urban sector.
Transport & Communication:Year-on-year Transport & communication inflation rate for the month of January, 2025 is 2.76%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of December, 2024 was 2.64%. It is combined inflation rate for both rural and urban sector.
Fuel & light:Year-on-year Fuel & light inflation rate for the month of January, 2025 is -1.38 %. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of December, 2024 was -1.33%. It is combined inflation rate for both rural and urban sector.
The significant decline in headline inflation and food inflation during the month of January, 2025 is mainly attributed to decline in inflation of Vegetables, Egg, Pulses & Products, Cereals and Products, Education, Clothing and Health.
Top five items with highest inflation: The top five items showing highest year on year Inflation at All India level in January 2025 are Coconut oil (54.20%), potato (49.61%), coconut (38.71%), garlic (30.65%), peas [vegetables] (30.17%).
Top five items with lowest inflation: The key items having lowest year on year inflation in January, 2025 are jeera (-32.25%), ginger (-30.92%), dry chilies (-11.27%), brinjal (-9.94%), LPG (excl. conveyance) (-9.29%). For other data related to All India Item Index and Inflation, please visit the websitewww.cpi.mospi.gov.in.
Top five major states with high Year on Year inflation for the month of January 2025 are shown in the graph below.
All India Inflation rates (on point to point basis i.e. current month over same month of last year, i.e.
January 2025 over January 2024), based on General Indices and CFPIs are given as follows:
All India year-on-year inflation rates (%) based on CPI (General) and CFPI: January 2025 over January 2024
January 2025 (Prov.)
December 2024 (Final)
January 2024
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Inflation
CPI (General)
4.64
3.87
4.31
5.76
4.58
5.22
5.34
4.92
5.10
CFPI
6.31
5.53
6.02
8.65
7.9
8.39
7.91
9.02
8.30
Index
CPI (General)
196.0
190.6
193.5
198.4
192.0
195.4
187.3
183.5
185.5
CFPI
198.8
204.1
200.7
204.7
210.3
206.7
187.0
193.4
189.3
Notes: Prov. – Provisional, Combd. – Combined
Monthly changes in the General Indices and CFPIs are given below:
Monthly changes (%) in All India CPI (General) and CFPI: January 2025 over December 2024
Indices
January 2025 (Prov.)
December 2024 (Final)
Monthly change (%)
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
CPI (General)
196.0
190.6
193.5
198.4
192.0
195.4
-1.21
-0.73
-0.97
CFPI
198.8
204.1
200.7
204.7
210.3
206.7
-2.88
-2.95
-2.90
Note: Figures of January 2025 are provisional.
Response rate:The price data are collected from selected 1114 urban Markets and 1181 villages covering all States/UTs through personal visits by field staff of Field Operations Division of NSO, MoSPI on a weekly roster. During the month of January 2025, NSO collected prices from 99.7% villages and 98.5% urban markets while the market-wise prices reported therein were 88.7% for rural and 93.1% for urban.
Next date of release for February 2025 CPI is 12th March 2025 (Wednesday). For more details, please visit the websitewww.cpi.mospi.gov.inor esankhyiki.mospi.gov.in
List of Annex
Annex
Title
I
All-India General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for December 2024(Final) and January2025(Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined (Annexure I)
II
All-India inflation rates (%) for General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for January 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined (Annexure II)
III
General CPI for States for Rural, Urban and Combined for December 2024 (Final) and January 2025 (Provisional) (Annexure III)
IV
Year-on-year inflation rates (%) of major States for Rural, Urban and Combined for January 2025(Provisional) (Annexure IV)
V
Time Series Data for All India General CPI (Base 2012 =100) Since January 2013 (Annexure V)
VI
Time Series Data for All India Year-on-year inflation rates (%) based on General CPI (Base 2012=100) Since January 2014 (Annexure VI)
Annex I
All-India General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for December 2024 (Final) and January 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined (Base: 2012=100)
Group Code
Sub-group Code
Description
Rural
Urban
Combined
Weights
Dec. 24 Index (Final)
Jan. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Dec. 24 Index (Final)
Jan. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Dec.24 Index (Final)
Jan. 25 Index (Prov.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
1.1.01
Cereals and products
12.35
198.9
199.8
6.59
196.5
197.5
9.67
198.1
199.1
1.1.02
Meat and fish
4.38
219.1
220.9
2.73
228.7
230.8
3.61
222.5
224.4
1.1.03
Egg
0.49
209.8
206.1
0.36
215.8
210.8
0.43
212.1
207.9
1.1.04
Milk and products
7.72
187.3
187.7
5.33
187.9
188.2
6.61
187.5
187.9
1.1.05
Oils and fats
4.21
189.0
189.0
2.81
174.6
175.6
3.56
183.7
184.1
1.1.06
Fruits
2.88
189.0
192.1
2.90
192.4
193.8
2.89
190.6
192.9
1.1.07
Vegetables
7.46
242.4
203.6
4.41
289.2
245.6
6.04
258.3
217.8
1.1.08
Pulses and products
2.95
212.4
207.8
1.73
217.4
213.0
2.38
214.1
209.6
1.1.09
Sugar and Confectionery
1.70
130.0
129.6
0.97
132.7
132.4
1.36
130.9
130.5
1.1.10
Spices
3.11
229.0
227.3
1.79
224.1
222.9
2.50
227.4
225.8
1.2.11
Non-alcoholic beverages
1.37
186.7
187.7
1.13
175.5
176.6
1.26
182.0
183.1
1.1.12
Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.
5.56
201.2
201.7
5.54
211.7
212.9
5.55
206.1
206.9
1
Food and beverages
54.18
203.9
198.8
36.29
209.4
204.6
45.86
205.9
200.9
2
Pan, tobacco and intoxicants
3.26
208.7
208.2
1.36
212.2
212.6
2.38
209.6
209.4
3.1.01
Clothing
6.32
200.4
200.6
4.72
190.0
190.3
5.58
196.3
196.5
3.1.02
Footwear
1.04
193.7
193.9
0.85
175.6
176.0
0.95
186.2
186.5
3
Clothing and footwear
7.36
199.4
199.7
5.57
187.8
188.1
6.53
194.8
195.1
4
Housing
–
–
–
21.67
181.7
182.5
10.07
181.7
182.5
5
Fuel and light
7.94
182.3
183.1
5.58
170.5
170.6
6.84
177.8
178.4
6.1.01
Household goods and services
3.75
187.0
187.3
3.87
178.3
178.8
3.80
182.9
183.3
6.1.02
Health
6.83
200.2
200.8
4.81
194.5
195.4
5.89
198.0
198.8
6.1.03
Transport and communication
7.60
176.7
177.2
9.73
165.8
166.1
8.59
171.0
171.4
6.1.04
Recreation and amusement
1.37
181.5
181.6
2.04
176.7
177.0
1.68
178.8
179.0
6.1.05
Education
3.46
192.2
192.5
5.62
187.9
188.0
4.46
189.7
189.9
6.1.06
Personal care and effects
4.25
206.3
208.4
3.47
208.0
210.2
3.89
207.0
209.1
6
Miscellaneous
27.26
190.8
191.5
29.53
182.0
182.6
28.32
186.5
187.2
General Index (All Groups)
100.00
198.4
196.0
100.00
192.0
190.6
100.00
195.4
193.5
Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI)
47.25
204.7
198.8
29.62
210.3
204.1
39.06
206.7
200.7
Notes:
Prov. : Provisional.
CFPI : Out of 12 sub-groups contained in ‘Food and Beverages’ group, CFPI is based on ten sub-groups, excluding ‘Non-alcoholic beverages’ and ‘Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.’.
– : CPI (Rural) for housing is not compiled.
Annex II
All-Indiayear-on-yearinflation rates (%) for General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for January 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined(Base: 2012=100)
Group Code
Sub-group Code
Description
Rural
Urban
Combined
Jan. 24Index (Final)
Jan. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Jan. 24Index (Final)
Jan. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Jan. 24Index (Final)
Jan. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
1.1.01
Cereals and products
187.5
199.8
6.56
187.1
197.5
5.56
187.4
199.1
6.24
1.1.02
Meat and fish
209.9
220.9
5.24
219.4
230.8
5.20
213.2
224.4
5.25
1.1.03
Egg
204.8
206.1
0.63
206.1
210.8
2.28
205.3
207.9
1.27
1.1.04
Milk and products
182.6
187.7
2.79
182.8
188.2
2.95
182.7
187.9
2.85
1.1.05
Oils and fats
161.2
189.0
17.25
155.8
175.6
12.71
159.2
184.1
15.64
1.1.06
Fruits
169.7
192.1
13.20
174.5
193.8
11.06
171.9
192.9
12.22
1.1.07
Vegetables
179.9
203.6
13.17
226.2
245.6
8.58
195.6
217.8
11.35
1.1.08
Pulses and products
202.5
207.8
2.62
207.7
213.0
2.55
204.3
209.6
2.59
1.1.09
Sugar and Confectionery
129.7
129.6
-0.08
131.0
132.4
1.07
130.1
130.5
0.31
1.1.10
Spices
245.9
227.3
-7.56
235.5
222.9
-5.35
242.4
225.8
-6.85
1.2.11
Non-alcoholic beverages
182.3
187.7
2.96
169.8
176.6
4.00
177.1
183.1
3.39
1.1.12
Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.
195.0
201.7
3.44
203.1
212.9
4.83
198.8
206.9
4.07
1
Food and beverages
187.7
198.8
5.91
194.2
204.6
5.36
190.1
200.9
5.68
2
Pan, tobacco and intoxicants
203.2
208.2
2.46
208.9
212.6
1.77
204.7
209.4
2.30
3.1.01
Clothing
195.3
200.6
2.71
185.1
190.3
2.81
191.3
196.5
2.72
3.1.02
Footwear
190.4
193.9
1.84
171.8
176.0
2.44
182.7
186.5
2.08
3
Clothing and footwear
194.6
199.7
2.62
183.1
188.1
2.73
190.0
195.1
2.68
4
Housing
–
–
–
177.6
182.5
2.76
177.6
182.5
2.76
5
Fuel and light
184.1
183.1
-0.54
175.7
170.6
-2.90
180.9
178.4
-1.38
6.1.01
Household goods and services
182.9
187.3
2.41
173.0
178.8
3.35
178.2
183.3
2.86
6.1.02
Health
193.2
200.8
3.93
187.8
195.4
4.05
191.2
198.8
3.97
6.1.03
Transport and communication
172.0
177.2
3.02
162.1
166.1
2.47
166.8
171.4
2.76
6.1.04
Recreation and amusement
177.2
181.6
2.48
172.2
177.0
2.79
174.4
179.0
2.64
6.1.05
Education
185.8
192.5
3.61
180.8
188.0
3.98
182.9
189.9
3.83
6.1.06
Personal care and effects
188.6
208.4
10.50
189.9
210.2
10.69
189.1
209.1
10.58
6
Miscellaneous
183.4
191.5
4.42
175.2
182.6
4.22
179.4
187.2
4.35
General Index (All Groups)
187.3
196.0
4.64
183.5
190.6
3.87
185.5
193.5
4.31
Notes:
Prov. : Provisional.
– : CPI (Rural) for housing is not compiled.
Annex III
General CPI for States for Rural, Urban and Combined for December 2024 (Final) and January 2025 (Provisional) (Base: 2012=100)
Sl. No.
Name of the State/UT
Rural
Urban
Combined
Weights
Dec. 24 Index (Final)
Jan. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Dec. 24 Index (Final)
Jan. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Dec. 24 Index (Final)
Jan. 25 Index (Prov.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
1
Andhra Pradesh
5.40
199.5
199.1
3.64
199.4
199.2
4.58
199.5
199.1
2
Arunachal Pradesh
0.14
199.1
197.6
0.06
—
—
0.10
199.1
197.6
3
Assam
2.63
200.1
198.4
0.79
196.7
194.8
1.77
199.4
197.7
4
Bihar
8.21
195.7
189.7
1.62
203.1
199.1
5.14
196.8
191.1
5
Chhattisgarh
1.68
193.1
188.9
1.22
185.9
182.6
1.46
190.3
186.5
6
Delhi
0.28
176.5
175.2
5.64
171.2
171.7
2.77
171.5
171.9
7
Goa
0.14
183.6
183.1
0.25
181.9
182.7
0.19
182.6
182.9
8
Gujarat
4.54
193.4
191.0
6.82
182.8
179.9
5.60
187.4
184.7
9
Haryana
3.30
200.3
197.5
3.35
186.3
184.7
3.32
193.7
191.5
10
Himachal Pradesh
1.03
182.9
180.9
0.26
187.4
185.3
0.67
183.7
181.7
11
Jharkhand
1.96
191.5
186.7
1.39
193.6
191.0
1.69
192.3
188.3
12
Karnataka
5.09
200.2
199.9
6.81
200.9
201.2
5.89
200.6
200.6
13
Kerala
5.50
204.2
205.4
3.46
199.1
200.3
4.55
202.4
203.6
14
Madhya Pradesh
4.93
196.6
193.4
3.97
196.0
193.8
4.48
196.4
193.6
15
Maharashtra
8.25
196.3
193.8
18.86
188.2
186.8
13.18
190.9
189.1
16
Manipur
0.23
239.4
233.9
0.12
193.0
191.0
0.18
224.7
220.3
17
Meghalaya
0.28
179.5
177.8
0.15
187.3
187.4
0.22
181.9
180.8
18
Mizoram
0.07
207.7
207.4
0.13
183.1
181.9
0.10
192.7
191.8
19
Nagaland
0.14
202.5
201.1
0.12
187.7
186.9
0.13
196.2
195.1
20
Odisha
2.93
204.9
201.3
1.31
191.8
189.4
2.18
201.2
198.0
21
Punjab
3.31
191.3
189.4
3.09
181.8
179.9
3.21
187.0
185.1
22
Rajasthan
6.63
193.6
192.0
4.23
191.3
189.2
5.51
192.8
191.0
23
Sikkim
0.06
205.9
203.7
0.03
189.9
189.0
0.05
200.7
198.9
24
Tamil Nadu
5.55
204.2
203.8
9.20
200.8
200.2
7.25
202.2
201.7
25
Telangana
3.16
207.3
205.9
4.41
200.2
199.4
3.74
203.4
202.3
26
Tripura
0.35
216.5
209.9
0.14
207.7
203.4
0.25
214.2
208.2
27
Uttar Pradesh
14.83
198.5
194.9
9.54
193.8
191.2
12.37
196.8
193.6
28
Uttarakhand
1.06
190.8
188.5
0.73
195.8
193.7
0.91
192.7
190.4
29
West Bengal
6.99
201.9
198.2
7.20
195.1
193.4
7.09
198.7
195.9
30
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
0.05
206.1
203.2
0.07
192.0
191.8
0.06
198.9
197.4
31
Chandigarh
0.02
195.8
192.0
0.34
181.2
179.3
0.17
182.0
180.0
32
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
0.02
183.8
182.2
0.04
190.5
188.5
0.03
188.3
186.4
33
Daman & Diu
0.02
200.6
199.5
0.02
190.3
189.0
0.02
196.3
195.1
34
Jammu & Kashmir*
1.14
205.8
204.7
0.72
199.6
197.5
0.94
203.6
202.2
35
Lakshadweep
0.01
199.9
197.5
0.01
190.8
185.5
0.01
195.2
191.4
36
Puducherry
0.08
210.8
208.1
0.27
199.4
198.8
0.17
202.3
201.2
All India
100.00
198.4
196.0
100.00
192.0
190.6
100.00
195.4
193.5
Notes:
Prov.: Provisional
–: indicates the receipt of price schedules is less than 80% of allocated schedules and therefore indices are not compiled.
*: Figures of this row pertain to the prices and weights of the combined Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir
and Ladakh (erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir).
Annex IV
Year-on-year inflation rates (%) of major@ States for Rural, Urban and Combined for January 2025 (Provisional) (Base: 2012=100)
Sl. No.
Name of the State/UT
Rural
Urban
Combined
Jan. 24Index (Final)
Jan. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Jan. 24Index (Final)
Jan. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Jan. 24Index (Final)
Jan. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
1
Andhra Pradesh
191.4
199.1
4.02
191.5
199.2
4.02
191.4
199.1
4.02
2
Assam
189.3
198.4
4.81
186.4
194.8
4.51
188.7
197.7
4.77
3
Bihar
180.9
189.7
4.86
188.0
199.1
5.90
181.9
191.1
5.06
4
Chhattisgarh
176.8
188.9
6.84
175.2
182.6
4.22
176.2
186.5
5.85
5
Delhi
169.9
175.2
3.12
168.4
171.7
1.96
168.5
171.9
2.02
6
Gujarat
183.9
191.0
3.86
173.2
179.9
3.87
177.8
184.7
3.88
7
Haryana
187.1
197.5
5.56
176.6
184.7
4.59
182.2
191.5
5.10
8
Himachal Pradesh
173.6
180.9
4.21
178.2
185.3
3.98
174.4
181.7
4.19
9
Jharkhand
183.3
186.7
1.85
184.1
191.0
3.75
183.6
188.3
2.56
10
Karnataka
190.0
199.9
5.21
191.8
201.2
4.90
191.0
200.6
5.03
11
Kerala
191.4
205.4
7.31
189.3
200.3
5.81
190.7
203.6
6.76
12
Madhya Pradesh
183.9
193.4
5.17
187.5
193.8
3.36
185.4
193.6
4.42
13
Maharashtra
188.9
193.8
2.59
179.9
186.8
3.84
182.9
189.1
3.39
14
Odisha
188.5
201.3
6.79
182.0
189.4
4.07
186.7
198.0
6.05
15
Punjab
180.6
189.4
4.87
173.7
179.9
3.57
177.5
185.1
4.28
16
Rajasthan
184.3
192.0
4.18
183.3
189.2
3.22
183.9
191.0
3.86
17
Tamil Nadu
193.4
203.8
5.38
191.3
200.2
4.65
192.2
201.7
4.94
18
Telangana
201.2
205.9
2.34
195.2
199.4
2.15
197.9
202.3
2.22
19
Uttar Pradesh
185.5
194.9
5.07
184.3
191.2
3.74
185.1
193.6
4.59
20
Uttarakhand
180.6
188.5
4.37
183.4
193.7
5.62
181.6
190.4
4.85
21
West Bengal
191.0
198.2
3.77
187.9
193.4
2.93
189.5
195.9
3.38
22
Jammu & Kashmir*
194.3
204.7
5.35
190.2
197.5
3.84
192.9
202.2
4.82
All India
187.3
196.0
4.64
183.5
190.6
3.87
185.5
193.5
4.31
Notes:
Prov. : Provisional.
* : Figures of this row pertain to the prices and weights of the combined Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir).
@ : States having population more than 50 lakhs as per Population Census 2011.
Annexure V
Time Series Data for All India General CPI (Base 2012 =100) Since January 2013
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2013
104.6
105.3
105.5
106.1
106.9
109.3
111.0
112.4
113.7
114.8
116.3
114.5
2014
113.6
113.6
114.2
115.1
115.8
116.7
119.2
120.3
120.1
120.1
120.1
119.4
2015
119.5
119.7
120.2
120.7
121.6
123.0
123.6
124.8
125.4
126.1
126.6
126.1
2016
126.3
126.0
126.0
127.3
128.6
130.1
131.1
131.1
130.9
131.4
131.2
130.4
2017
130.3
130.6
130.9
131.1
131.4
132.0
134.2
135.4
135.2
136.1
137.6
137.2
2018
136.9
136.4
136.5
137.1
137.8
138.5
139.8
140.4
140.2
140.7
140.8
140.1
2019
139.6
139.9
140.4
141.2
142.0
142.9
144.2
145.0
145.8
147.2
148.6
150.4
2020
150.2
149.1
148.6
151.4
150.9
151.8
153.9
154.7
156.4
158.4
158.9
157.3
2021
156.3
156.6
156.8
157.8
160.4
161.3
162.5
162.9
163.2
165.5
166.7
166.2
2022
165.7
166.1
167.7
170.1
171.7
172.6
173.4
174.3
175.3
176.7
176.5
175.7
2023
176.5
176.8
177.2
178.1
179.1
181.0
186.3
186.2
184.1
185.3
186.3
185.7
2024
185.5
185.8
185.8
186.7
187.7
190.2
193.0
193.0
194.2
196.8
196.5
195.4
2025
193.5*
Notes:
* :Index Value for January 2025 is Provisional.
Annexure VI
Time Series Data for All India Year-on-year inflation rates (%) based on General CPI (Base 2012=100) Since January 2014
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2014
8.60
7.88
8.25
8.48
8.33
6.77
7.39
7.03
5.63
4.62
3.27
4.28
2015
5.19
5.37
5.25
4.87
5.01
5.40
3.69
3.74
4.41
5.00
5.41
5.61
2016
5.69
5.26
4.83
5.47
5.76
5.77
6.07
5.05
4.39
4.20
3.63
3.41
2017
3.17
3.65
3.89
2.99
2.18
1.46
2.36
3.28
3.28
3.58
4.88
5.21
2018
5.07
4.44
4.28
4.58
4.87
4.92
4.17
3.69
3.70
3.38
2.33
2.11
2019
1.97
2.57
2.86
2.99
3.05
3.18
3.15
3.28
3.99
4.62
5.54
7.35
2020
7.59
6.58
5.84
–
–
6.23
6.73
6.69
7.27
7.61
6.93
4.59
2021
4.06
5.03
5.52
4.23
6.30
6.26
5.59
5.30
4.35
4.48
4.91
5.66
2022
6.01
6.07
6.95
7.79
7.04
7.01
6.71
7.00
7.41
6.77
5.88
5.72
2023
6.52
6.44
5.66
4.70
4.31
4.87
7.44
6.83
5.02
4.87
5.55
5.69
2024
5.10
5.09
4.85
4.83
4.80
5.08
3.60
3.65
5.49
6.21
5.48
5.22
2025
4.31*
Notes:
* :Inflation Value for January 2025 is Provisional.
– :Inflation was not compiled and released due to Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Ministry of Ayush and Department of Social Justice & Empowerment Sign a Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Geriatric Healthcare and Combat Substance Abuse By leveraging the holistic approach of Ayush systems alongside social welfare initiatives, we aim to empower our senior citizens and those affected by substance abuse: Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Ayush
Posted On: 12 FEB 2025 3:59PM by PIB Delhi
In a landmark move aimed at improving the well-being of senior citizens and addressing the growing concern of substance abuse, the Ministry of Ayush and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi today. This strategic partnership seeks to implement Ayush-based interventions to promote geriatric healthcare and combat substance abuse.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush, and Shri B.L. Verma, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Sh. Amit Yadav, Secretary and senior officials from both ministries were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, stated, “Geriatric healthcare and substance abuse are critical areas that require special focus, especially as we face an ageing population and growing concerns around addiction. This collaboration between the Ministry of Ayush and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment represents a significant step towards addressing these challenges. By leveraging the holistic approach of Ayush systems alongside social welfare initiatives, we aim to empower our senior citizens and those affected by substance abuse.”
While addressing the gathering, the Union Minister of State, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri B L Verma, said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, our government has taken several steps to ensure the welfare of our senior citizens. The signing of the MoU with the Ministry of Ayush will benefit our senior citizens in a big way. The development of elderly-specific training modules, treatment protocols, yoga training programs, sharing of preventive and curative practices, etc., under the MoU will go a long way in enabling our senior citizens to lead a healthy life. By joining hands with the Ministry of Ayush, I am sure that together we can provide comprehensive services to the community.”
While highlighting the initiatives of the Ministry of Ayush for geriatric healthcare, the Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, stated, “We have various programmes and initiatives to address the challenges being faced by the ageing population, such as the Geriatric Healthcare Camps under the National Ayush Mission. The Ministry of Ayush remains committed to enhancing the health and well-being of senior citizens, and this MoU will boost our efforts to provide quality health care to the senior citizens.”
Sh. Amit Yadav, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, said, “By signing of MoU with Ayush, the Ministry will try to make this country a place free from any addiction of drugs with the help of Ayush by adopting their model of treatment and living a healthy life. And ensure that our senior citizens lead a healthy and dignified life by adopting a series of interventions devised through the Ministry of Ayush.
The MoU is a pioneering step to develop cooperative initiatives for health promotion among senior citizens and those affected by substance abuse. By leveraging the strengths of Ayush systems, both Ministries committed to working together on various initiatives, including awareness programs, capacity-building for service providers and the establishment of geriatric health and de-addiction units under Ayush autonomous bodies.
Key objectives of the MoU include:
Cooperative Efforts: Developing cooperation, convergence, and synergy between the Ministry of Ayush and DoSJE to foster innovative initiatives for promoting the health of senior citizens, reducing the demand for drugs, addressing substance abuse, and aiding mental rehabilitation. This will be achieved through awareness generation and capacity building of service providers using Ayush systems.
Research Promotion: Encouraging research in the areas of geriatric health, substance abuse, and mental health, with a focus on exploring the therapeutic benefits of traditional healthcare practices.
Health Promotion Activities: Supporting additional activities for health promotion tailored to both the geriatric population and individuals affected by substance abuse.
The MoU marks a significant milestone in India’s healthcare journey, combining the strengths of both Ayush systems and social justice initiatives to create a healthier and more inclusive society.
At the invitation of the President of the French Republic, H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, paid a visit to France on 10-12 February 2025. On 10 and 11 February 2025, France and India co-chaired the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, gathering Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, small and large enterprises, representatives of academia, non-governmental organizations, artists and members of civil society, in order to build on the important milestones reached during the Bletchley Park (November 2023) and Seoul (May 2024) summits. They underlined their commitment to take concrete actions to ensure that the global AI sector can drive beneficial social, economic and environmental outcomes in the public interest. Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on France’s successful organization of AI Action Summit. France welcomed India’s hosting of the next AI Summit.
This was Prime Minister Modi’s sixth visit to France, and follows President Macron’s visit to India in January 2024 as the Chief Guest for the 75th Republic Day of India. Prime Minister Modi and President Macron held bilateral discussions on the entire gamut of the exceptionally strong and multifaceted bilateral cooperation and on global and regional matters. Both leaders also went to Marseille where President Macron hosted a private dinner for Prime Minister Modi, reflecting the excellent relationship between the two leaders. They jointly inaugurated India’s Consulate General in Marseille. They also visited the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor facility.
President Macron and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed their shared vision for bilateral cooperation and international partnership, outlined in the Joint Statement issued following President Macron’s State Visit to India in January 2024 and in the Horizon 2047 Roadmap published during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to France in July 2023 as the Chief Guest of the Bastille Day Celebrations on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Strategic Partnership. They commended the progress achieved in their bilateral cooperation and committed to accelerating it further across its three pillars.
The two leaders reiterated their call for reformed and effective multilateralism to sustain an equitable and peaceful international order, address pressing global challenges and prepare the world for emerging developments, including in the technological and economic domains. The two leaders stressed, in particular, the urgent need for the reform of the United Nations Security Council and agreed to coordinate closely in multilateral fora, including on UNSC matters. France reiterated its firm support for India’s permanent membership of the UNSC. The two leaders agreed to strengthen conversations on regulation of use of the veto in case of mass atrocities. They held extensive discussions on long-term global challenges and current international developments and agreed to intensify their global and regional engagement, including through multilateral initiatives and institutions.
Acknowledging the paramount importance of advancing scientific knowledge, research and innovation, and recalling the long and enduring engagement between India and France in those areas, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi announced the grand inauguration of the India-France Year of Innovation in New Delhi in March 2026 by launching its Logo.
Partnership for Security and Sovereignty
Recalling the deep and longstanding defence cooperation between France and India as part of the Strategic Partnership, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the continuation of the cooperation of air and maritime assets in line with the ambitious Defence Industrial Roadmap agreed in 2024. Both leaders commended progress in collaboration in construction of Scorpene submarines in India, including indigenization, and in particular the work carried out with a view to the integration of DRDO developed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) into P75-Scorpene submarines and the analyses conducted regarding the possible integration of the Integrated Combat System (ICS) into the future P75-AS submarines. Both leaders welcomed the commissioning of the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene-class project, INS Vaghsheer, on 15 January 2025.Both sides welcomed the ongoing discussions in missiles, helicopter engines and jet engines. They also welcomed the excellent cooperation between the relevant entities in the Safran group and their Indian counterparts. Prime Minister Modi also invited the French Army to take a closer look at the Pinaka MBLR, emphasizing that an acquisition of this system by France would be another milestone in Indo-French defence ties. In addition, President Macron welcomed the decision to include India as an observer to the Eurodrone MALE programme managed by OCCAR, which is another step forward in the growing strength of our partnership in defence equipment programmes.
Both leaders appreciated the regular conduct of military exercises in all domains including maritime exercises and joint patrolling by maritime patrol aircraft. They noted the recent visit of the French Carrier Strike Group Charles De Gaulle to India in January 2025, followed by the Indian Navy’s participation in the French multinational exercise La Perouse, and the future conduct of the Varuna exercise in March 2025.
They welcomed the launch of FRIND-X (France-India Defence Startup Excellence) in Paris on 5-6 December 2024, involving the DGA and the Defence Innovation Agency, in line with the vision enshrined in HORIZON 2047 and the India-France Defence Industrial Roadmap. This collaborative platform brings together key stakeholders across both defence ecosystems, including defence startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, and academia, fostering a new era of defence innovation and partnership.
In order to deepen the research and development partnerships in defence, both leaders stressed on the early launch of an R&D framework through a Technical Arrangement for cooperation in defence technologies between DGA and DRDO. Inaddition, both leaders welcomed the ongoing discussions between L’Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to identify technologies for R&D partnerships. Further, India welcomes the participation of Indian students, alongside French students, in the challenge on distributed intelligencelaunched recently by Interdisciplinary Center for Defence and Security from the Institut Polytechnique de Parisand encourages organizing of more joint challenges in the future to evoke the interest of students in defence.
Both leaders had a detailed conversation on international issues, including on the Middle-East and the war in Ukraine. They agreed to pursue their efforts to coordinate and remain closely engaged on a regular basis.
The two leaders recalled the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) on the margins of the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023 and agreed to work together more closely on implementing the initiative. Both leaders stressed the importance of IMEC to foster connectivity, sustainable growth trajectories and access to clean energy across these regions. In this regard, they acknowledged the strategic location of Marseille in the Mediterranean Sea.
They underlined the key importance of strengthening EU-India relations, in view of the upcoming India-EU summit at the earliest possible in New Delhi.
They appreciated the growing cooperation in trilateral format with Australia and with the United Arab Emirates. They commended the joint military exercises that took place between France, India and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the participation of India, France and Australia in each others’ multilateral military exercises. At the invitation of the United Arab Emirates and India, France joined the Mangrove Alliance for Climate. They directed their concerned officials to work together with officials from the Governments of United Arab Emirates and Australia, towards identifying concrete projects of trilateral cooperation in the field of economy, innovation, health, renewable energy, education, culture, and the maritime domain, including under the IPOI and IORA as identified during the focal points meeting held virtually last year for both the trilateral dialogues.
The two leaders underlined their common commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.
They reiterated their desire to continue to deepen bilateral cooperation in the space sector. Taking note of the substantial contribution of the first two sessions of the India-France Strategic Space Dialogue to furthering this objective, they agreed to hold its third session in 2025. They commended the strength of the partnership between CNES and ISRO and supported the development of collaborations and synergies between their space industries.
The two leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called for the disruption of terrorism financing networks and safe havens. They further agreed that no country should provide safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts. The leaders also called for concerted action against all terrorists, including through designations of individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. The two sides emphasized the importance of upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, consistent with Financial Action Task Force recommendations. Both countries reiterated their commitment to work together in FATF, No Money For Terror (NMFT) and other multilateral platforms.
They commended the cooperation between the National Security Guard (NSG) of India and the Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN) for agency-level cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism. The two leaders welcomed the outcomes of the counter-terrorism dialogue held in April 2024, reflecting the growing India – France counter-terrorism and intelligence cooperation. The two leaders also looked forward to the successful organization of Milipol 2025 in New Delhi.
They welcomed the ongoing discussions to create a comprehensive framework for an enhanced bilateral cooperation in the civil aviation sector, which are at advanced stages.
Prime Minister Modi and President Macron launched an India-France Roadmap on Artificial Intelligence (AI), rooted in the philosophical convergence in their approaches focusing on the development of safe, open, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence. They welcomed the inclusion of Indian startups at the French Startup Incubator Station F. They also welcomed the expanded possibilities for using India’s real-time payment system – Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – in France. The two leaders reiterated the strategic significance of cyberspace and their wish to strengthen their coordination at the United Nations regarding the application of international law and the implementation of the framework for responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, as well as the need to address issues arising from the proliferation of malicious cyber tools and practices. They looked forward to the next India-France Strategic Cybersecurity and Cyberdiplomacy Dialogues to be held in 2025.
Partnership for the Planet
Prime Minister Modi and President Macron stressed that nuclear energy is an essential part of the energy mix for strengthening energy security and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy. Both leaders acknowledged the India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation with the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project. They welcomed the first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy, and welcomed the signing of a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) and the Implementing Agreement between India’s GCNEP, DAE and France’s INSTN, CEA for cooperation in training and education of nuclear professionals.
The two leaders reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to jointly address the environmental crises and challenges including climate change and promoting sustainable lifestyles. The leaders welcomed the renewal of bilateral cooperation in the field of environment between the Ministries of Environment. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to the principles established by the Paris Pact for People and the Planet for reform of the international financing system towards supporting vulnerable countries in addressing both the eradication of poverty and the preservation of the planet. Both leaders affirmed the significance of United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC-3) as an important milestone in international efforts towards conservation and sustainable use of oceans. In the context of upcoming UNOC-3 to be held in Nice in June 2025, France and India recognize the importance of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity Beyond Areas of Natural Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), as one of the pillars of inclusive and holistic international ocean governance. Having already signed the treaty, they called for its entry into force at the earliest. Prime Minister Modi offered India’s support to France for UNOC-3 in June 2025.
They lauded the launching of the India-France Indo-Pacific Triangular Development Cooperation, aiming to support climate- and SDG-focused projects from third countries in the Indo-Pacific region. The two leaders welcome the partnership between Proparco and the concerned Indian microfinance institutions for an equity agreement of 13 million Euros in the areas of financial inclusion and women empowerment. They also commended the strong and fruitful cooperation within the framework of the Franco Indian presidency of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance.
Noting the record level of bilateral trade in 2024, they acknowledged that there is vast untapped potential for trade and investment between the two countries. Both leaders highlighted the need to maintain strong confidence for companies investing in France and in India. They commended the numerous economic cooperation projects announced in 2024 in the field of urban development. They recalled the participation of India as guest of honor of the 7th Choose France Summit in Versailles in May 2024. The two leaders were delighted with the organization of the bilateral CEOs Forum in November 2024 and February 2025.
The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the unprecedented momentum initiated for cooperation between the two Ministries of Health, with the first mission in Paris of India’s Ministry for Health and Family Welfare last January. Digital health, anti-microbial resistance and exchange of health professionals have been identified as the main priorities for bilateral cooperation in 2025. The two leaders welcomed the signature of a Letter of Intent between PariSante Campus and the C-CAMP (Centre for Molecular Platforms), and the creation of the Indo-French Life Sciences Sister Innovation Hub.
Partnership for the People
Recalling the ambition underpinning the Letter of Intent signed on the occasion of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France in July 2023, President Macron and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the signature of the Agreement between the National Museum in Delhi and France Muséums Développement in December 2024. This agreement paves the way for further collaboration as well as broader museum cooperation including training of Indian professionals. France offered to continue consultations on its participation in the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex.
To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the first cultural agreement between India and France in 1966, both sides agreed to undertake multiple cultural exchanges and programs in the context of the Year of Innovation 2026 which is a cross-sectoral initiative that includes culture.
Prime Minister Modi congratulated President Macron on the successful organization of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024 and thanked President Macron’s willingness to share France’s experience and expertise regarding the organization and securing of major international sporting events in the context of India’s bid to host the Olympics and Paralympics Games in 2036.
Both Leaders welcomed the launch of a regional edition of the Raisina Dialogue focusing on Mediterranean issues in Marseille in 2025, to foster high-level dialogue involving representatives of governments, industry leaders, experts on trade and connectivity issues and other relevant stakeholders with an aim to enhance trade and connectivity between the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific regions.
Both leaders welcomed the successful launch in September 2024 of the International Classes Scheme under which Indian students are taught French as a foreign language, and methodology and academic contents in highly reputed French universities in France during one academic year, before entering their chosen curricula in France. It will create conducive conditions to increase student mobility and meet the target of 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030. In that regard, they welcomed the rising number of Indian students in France, with 2025 figures expected to reach an unprecedented 10,000.
Both leaders also welcomed the operationalization of the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) under India-France Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) which will facilitate two way mobility of youth and professionals, further strengthening the bonds of friendship between people of India and France. Moreover, both leaders stressed on early conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding to foster cooperation in the fields of skill development, vocational education and training which will create opportunities for both countries to strengthen cooperation in this field.
To foster their dynamic and comprehensive Strategic Partnership, both countries committed to constantly deepen their long-term cooperation following the ambitions expressed in the bilateral Horizon 2047 Roadmap.
India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Technology & Innovation, S&T
2.
Launch of the Logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026
Technology & Innovation, S&T
3.
Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Center for the Digital Sciences
Technology & Innovation, S&T
4.
Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station F
Technology & Innovation, S&T
5.
Declaration of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors
Civil Nuclear Energy
6.
Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP)
Civil Nuclear Energy
7.
Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) France
Civil Nuclear Energy
8.
Join Declaration of Intent on Triangular Development Cooperation
Indo-Pacific/ Sustainable Development
9.
Joint Inauguration of India’s Consulate in Marseille
Culture/ People-to-People
10.
Declaration of Intent between The Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries and The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Field of Environment.
In a special gesture reflecting the personal rapport between the two leaders, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron flew together from Paris to Marseille in the French Presidential Aircraft yesterday. They held discussions on the full spectrum of bilateral relations and key global and regional issues. This was followed by delegation level talks after arrival in Marseille. The leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to the India-France Strategic Partnership, which has steadily evolved into a multifaceted relationship over the past 25 years.
The talks covered all aspects of the India-France strategic partnership. The two leaders reviewed cooperation in the strategic areas of Defence, Civil Nuclear Energy and Space. They also discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in the fields of Technology and Innovation. This area of partnership assumes greater salience in the backdrop of the just concluded AI Action Summit and the upcoming India-France Year of Innovation in 2026. The leaders also called for enhancing trade and investment ties and in this regard welcomed the report of the 14th India- France CEOs Forum.
Prime Minister and President Macron expressed satisfaction at the ongoing collaboration in the fields of health, culture, tourism, education and people-to-people ties. They committed to further deepen engagement in the Indo-Pacific and in global forums and initiatives.
A Joint Statement outlining the way forward for India- France ties was adopted after the talks. Ten outcomes in the areas of Technology and Innovation, Civil Nuclear Energy, Triangular Cooperation, Environment, Culture and People to People relations were also finalized (list attached).
President Macron hosted a dinner in honour of Prime Minister in the coastal town of Cassis, near Marseille. Prime Minister invited President Macron to visit India.
List of Outcomes: Visit of the Prime Minister to France (10-12 February 2025)
S. No.
MoUs/ Agreements/ Amendments
Areas
1.
India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Technology & Innovation, S&T
2.
Launch of the Logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026
Technology & Innovation, S&T
3.
Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Center for the Digital Sciences
Technology & Innovation, S&T
4.
Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station F
Technology & Innovation, S&T
5.
Declaration of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors
Civil Nuclear Energy
6.
Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP)
Civil Nuclear Energy
7.
Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) France
Civil Nuclear Energy
8.
Join Declaration of Intent on Triangular Development Cooperation
Indo-Pacific/ Sustainable Development
9.
Joint Inauguration of India’s Consulate in Marseille
Culture/ People-to-People
10.
Declaration of Intent between The Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries and The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Field of Environment.
India France Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Technology & Innovation, S&T
2.
Launch of the Logo for the India-France Year of Innovation 2026
Technology & Innovation, S&T
3.
Letter of Intent between Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA) France to establish the Indo-French Center for the Digital Sciences
Technology & Innovation, S&T
4.
Agreement for hosting 10 Indian Startups at the French Start-up incubator Station F
Technology & Innovation, S&T
5.
Declaration of Intent on establishment of partnership on Advanced Modular Reactors and Small Modular Reactors
Civil Nuclear Energy
6.
Renewal of MoU between Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India and Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE), France concerning cooperation with Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP)
Civil Nuclear Energy
7.
Implementing Agreement between DAE of India and CEA of France concerning cooperation between GCNEP India and Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (INSTN) France
Civil Nuclear Energy
8.
Join Declaration of Intent on Triangular Development Cooperation
Indo-Pacific/ Sustainable Development
9.
Joint Inauguration of India’s Consulate in Marseille
Culture/ People-to-People
10.
Declaration of Intent between The Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, Marine Affairs and Fisheries and The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in the Field of Environment.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri chaired a Ministerial Roundtable on Clean Cooking on the second day of India Energy Week 2025. Shri Puri highlighted India’s remarkable success in ensuring universal access to clean cooking gas through targeted subsidies, strong political will, digitization of distribution networks by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), and nationwide campaigns promoting cultural shifts towards clean cooking.
The session brought together representatives from Brazil, Tanzania, Malawi, Sudan, Nepal, and industry leaders including the International Energy Agency (IEA), Total Energy, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Shri Puri emphasized that India’s model is not only successful but also highly replicable in other Global South nations facing similar energy access challenges. The Union Minister noted that under India’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), beneficiaries receive LPG access at a highly affordable cost of just 7 cents per day, while other consumers can avail themselves of clean cooking fuel at 15 cents per day. This affordability has been a game-changer in driving widespread adoption.
During the discussion, international representatives shared their experiences and challenges in expanding access to clean cooking solutions. Hon. Dkt. Doto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Tanzania outlined its strategy to enable 80% of households to transition to clean cooking by 2030, leveraging subsidies and a mix of energy sources, including LPG, natural gas, and biogas. However, he acknowledged significant challenges, including financing constraints, the high cost of infrastructure, and the need for regulatory reforms to encourage private-sector participation.
H.E. Dr. Mohieldien Naiem Mohamed Saied, Minister of Energy and Oil, Sudan, emphasized the need for private sector engagement to bridge gaps in LPG supply, as the country still imports a significant portion of its energy needs. Encouraging local cylinder production and ensuring cost-effective imports remain key hurdles in achieving broader adoption. Representatives of Rwanda and Nepal shared their efforts in reducing firewood dependency through electric stoves and biogas expansion.
Mary Burce Warlick, Deputy Executive Director of IEA noted that India’s success offers valuable lessons for other countries, particularly in tackling challenges related to affordability, access, and infrastructure. She further emphasized the role of concessional financing and public-private partnerships (PPP) in expanding clean cooking access globally. Addressing cultural acceptance and regulatory adjustments, such as tax reductions, were also highlighted as crucial measures for large-scale adoption.
Rahool Panandiker, Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) highlighted India’s clean cooking transformation, underscoring its strong political commitment, effective subsidy targeting, and robust public awareness campaigns. He further credited India’s Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for enabling last-mile LPG delivery through digital platforms, making adoption seamless. Panadiker also underscored the need for refining the cylinder refill model to ensure sustained usage and balancing affordability with economic sustainability.
Responding to the potential of solar cookers in expanding clean cooking technologies across the Global South, Shri Puri highlighted that IOCL’s advanced solar cookers, featuring integrated solar panels, are priced at approximately $500 per unit with no additional costs over their lifecycle. The Union Minister added that while the current price point remains a challenge for widespread adoption, leveraging carbon financing and collaborating with the private sector could drive costs down, making solar cooking a viable alternative for millions.
This initiative aligns with India’s broader efforts to diversify clean cooking options beyond LPG, reinforcing the country’s commitment to reducing reliance on traditional biomass fuels and cutting carbon emissions.
Shri Puri concluded the discussion by reaffirming India’s commitment to supporting energy access initiatives worldwide. He underscored that the Indian model, backed by smart subsidies and sustainable policies, provides a scalable solution for other developing nations striving to achieve clean cooking access. He stressed that achieving universal clean cooking access is not merely an economic imperative but a moral one, given the severe health and environmental impacts of traditional biomass cooking.
This roundtable reaffirmed India’s position as a global leader in energy transition and clean cooking solutions, setting the stage for greater international cooperation in achieving universal access to clean energy.
About India Energy Week 2025
India Energy Week was envisioned as more than just another industry conference—it was designed to be a dynamic platform redefining global energy dialogues. In just two years, this self-funded initiative has achieved precisely that, becoming the world’s second-largest energy event. The third edition, scheduled from February 11-14, 2025, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, represents a significant milestone in shaping the global energy narrative.
Participants from over 100 countries, including government leaders, international organisations, representatives of civil society, the private sector, and the academic and research communities gathered in Paris on February 10 and 11, 2025, to hold the AI Action Summit. Rapid development of AI technologies represents a major paradigm shift, impacting our citizens, and societies in many ways. In line with the Paris Pact for People and the Planet, and the principles that countries must have ownership of their transition strategies, we have identified priorities and launched concrete actions to advance the public interest and to bridge digital divides through accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our actions are grounded in three main principles of science, solutions – focusing on open AI models in compliance with countries frameworks – and policy standards, in line with international frameworks.
This Summit has highlighted the importance of reinforcing the diversity of the AI ecosystem. It has laid an open, multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach that will enable AI to be human rights based, human-centric, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy while also stressing the need and urgency to narrow the inequalities and assist developing countries in artificial intelligence capacity-building so they can build AI capacities.
Acknowledging existing multilateral initiatives on AI, including the United Nations General Assembly Resolutions, the Global Digital Compact, the UNESCO Recommendation on Ethics of AI, the African Union Continental AI Strategy, and the works of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Council of Europe and European Union, the G7 including the Hiroshima AI Process and G20, we have affirmed the following main priorities:
Promoting AI accessibility to reduce digital divides
Ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy, taking into account international frameworks for all
Making innovation in AI thrive by enabling conditions for its development and avoiding market concentration driving industrial recovery and development
Encouraging AI deployment that positively shapes the future of work and labour markets and delivers opportunity for sustainable growth
Making AI sustainable for people and the planet
Reinforcing international cooperation to promote coordination in international governance
To deliver on these priorities:
Founding members have launched a major Public Interest AI Platform and Incubator, to support, amplify, decrease fragmentation between existing public and private initiatives on Public Interest AI and address digital divides. The Public interest AI Initiative will sustain and support digital public goods and technical assistance and capacity building projects in data, model development, openness and transparency, audit, compute, talent, financing and collaboration to support and co-create a trustworthy AI ecosystem advancing the public interest of all, for all and by all.
We have discussed, at a Summit for the first time and in a multi-stakeholder format, issues related to AI and energy. This discussion has led to sharing knowledge to foster investments for sustainable AI systems (hardware, infrastructure, models), to promoting an international discussion on AI and environment, to welcoming an observatory on the energy impact of AI with the International Energy Agency, to showcasing energy-friendly AI innovation.
We recognize the need to enhance our shared knowledge on the impacts of AI in the job market, though the creation of network of Observatories, to better anticipate AI implications for workplaces, training and education and to use AI to foster productivity, skill development, quality and working conditions and social dialogue.
We recognize the need for inclusive multistakeholder dialogues and cooperation on AI governance. We underline the need for a global reflection integrating inter alia questions of safety, sustainable development, innovation, respect of international laws including humanitarian law and human rights law and the protection of human rights, gender equality, linguistic diversity, protection of consumers and of intellectual property rights. We take notes of efforts and discussions related to international fora where AI governance is examined. As outlined in the Global Digital Compact adopted by the UN General Assembly, participants also reaffirmed their commitment to initiate a Global Dialogue on AI governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and to align on-going governance efforts, ensuring complementarity and avoiding duplication.
Harnessing the benefits of AI technologies to support our economies and societies depends on advancing Trust and Safety. We commend the role of the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit and Seoul Summits that have been essential in progressing international cooperation on AI safety and we note the voluntary commitments launched there. We will keep addressing the risks of AI to information integrity and continue the work on AI transparency.
We look forward to next AI milestones such as the Kigali Summit, the 3rd Global Forum on the Ethics of AI hosted by Thailand and UNESCO, the 2025 World AI Conference and the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 to follow up on our commitments and continue to take concrete actions aligned with a sustainable and inclusive AI.
The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue ₹50 denomination Banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series bearing the signature of Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor. The design of these notes is similar in all respects to ₹50 banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series. All banknotes in the denomination of ₹50 issued by the Reserve Bank in the past will continue to be legal tender.
Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, has announced the launch of “Galaxy empowered”, a one-of-a-kind community-led programme designed to transform education in India by empowering teachers, principals, and administrators in the education sector.
The initiative, launched in the presence of Abhinav Bindra, legendary shooter and 2008 Olympic Gold Medallist, aims to build a culture of innovation and inspire creativity in education by integrating technology into teaching practices. It will prepare teachers for the classrooms of tomorrow through recurring on-ground and online learning events. As a global leader in technology, Samsung is committed to shaping the future of education by creating future-ready classrooms that will help teachers embrace the latest technology and modern pedagogies.
“Galaxy empowered” not only benefits educators but also supports schools in becoming leaders in education innovation. By enhancing teaching practices and creating technology-driven learning environments, schools can position themselves as the institution of choice for parents, improving their reputation and gaining recognition in the community. In addition, the “Galaxy empowered” programme is free for both teachers and schools, ensuring valuable resources for education advancement without any financial barriers.
“With “Galaxy empowered”, we provide teachers the tools to enhance student engagement and create lasting educational impact. By investing in teacher development, Samsung empowers educators to maximize their classroom impact, supporting the backbone of the education system. This initiative aligns with our vision of innovating for a better tomorrow, ensuring education remains at the forefront of innovation and every educator has the resources to succeed,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India.
Over 2,700 teachers have been awarded certificates across India via live training sessions since December 2024 under the umbrella of “Galaxy empowered”. The programme aims to empower 20,000 teachers across India by 2025. For the Delhi phase, Samsung has successfully conducted the “Galaxy empowered” programme in 250 schools. Apart from partnering with Mahattattva Educational Advisory and STTAR for the first phase, specialized trainers and academicians have been appointed to help the teachers through the programme.
“Education lies at the heart of societal progress, and Samsung has recognized the importance of enabling teachers with the right tools and support to harness technology in the classroom. By empowering teachers and education administrators, Samsung is fostering an ecosystem where technology enhances learning, bridges gaps, and shapes the future of education. I believe this initiative will serve as a vital steppingstone in upskilling our educators to deliver better learning experiences on a larger scale,” said Abhinav Bindra, Chief Guest and 2008 Olympic Gold Medallist.
“Samsung’s Galaxy empowered initiative bridges the gaps by providing educators with access to advanced technology, blended learning tools, and a supportive community. Through online and in-person professional development, teachers can effectively integrate technology into their classrooms. By offering hands-on experience with Samsung’s products and tailored resources, we are aiding educators enhance student engagement, streamline tasks, and improve teaching effectiveness.” said Aditya Babbar, Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India.
Raju Dixit, Dr. Biswajit Saha, Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, Mr. Shishir Jaipuria, Ms. Abha Adams, Dr. Natash Mehta and Lt. Gen. Surendra Kulkarni (Retd.)
The “Galaxy empowered” initiative is built on three core pillars — Technology Upskilling, Experiential Learning, and Peer-to-Peer Networking. Whether foundational, preparatory, middle, secondary, or for administrators, “Galaxy empowered” provides targeted support to educators, ensuring that they have the tools they need to succeed in their specific teaching environments.
Technology Upskilling: Offering flexible online training sessions, physical bootcamps, and a comprehensive library of resources, “Galaxy empowered” enables teachers to integrate the latest digital tools into their classrooms, including gamification strategies, interactive apps, and virtual classrooms.
Hands-On Training and Certification: Educators will have access to hands-on workshops, mentorship, and certification opportunities to recognize their achievements and build their skills. The programme also includes specialized resources for curriculum and content design, as well as guidance on educator well-being.
Collaboration and Networking: Teachers will be part of a dynamic community of educators, gaining access to peer-to-peer networking, industry experts, and thought leadership in education through exclusive panels and keynote sessions.
Exclusive Samsung Perks for Educators
Samsung is offering special discounts on a wide range of products, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and consumer electronics, exclusively for educators and school leaders who participate in the “Galaxy empowered” programme. Additional perks include extended warranties, free insurance, and access to exclusive time-limited deals.
Join the Education Revolution with “Galaxy empowered”
“Galaxy empowered” is a free programme for both educators and schools, providing valuable resources for professional development and educational advancement. By equipping teachers with modern skills and tools, “Galaxy empowered” aims to unlock the full potential of educators and institutions across India.
To learn more about “Galaxy empowered”, enroll in the programme, and access exclusive offers, visit: www.samsung.com/in/galaxy-empowered/.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Energy Secretary travels to New Delhi to champion UK businesses, strengthen our partnership with India and accelerate work to tackle climate change.
UK and India agree action to accelerate economic growth from global clean energy transition
Energy Secretary travelled to New Delhi to champion for British interests; supporting UK businesses, increase clean energy investment opportunities and deliver on the government’s Plan for Change
closer working through fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue to boost renewables and cut emissions, protecting British families and businesses from the climate crisis
The UK and India joined forces this week to unlock economic growth from the clean energy transition, supporting new jobs, creating export opportunities and tackling the climate crisis.
During a visit to New Delhi, the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband backed British businesses at India Energy Week – a major international energy event. He met with UK companies who are using their expertise to speed up India’s transition from fossil fuels to clean power, including offshore wind, solar, battery storage and hydrogen.
He met a number of UK companies who are using the UK’s world leading technology to speed up the global clean energy transition, create job opportunities and protect the climate. These include:
Sherwood Power – Sherwood Power has developed energy storage technology that converts excess, low-cost, renewable energy into compressed air and heat. When demand is high, this stored energy is released to generate electricity, reducing grid load and customer costs. The company is based in Richmond, North Yorkshire.
Oomph EV – Oomph EV designs and manufacture a range of rapid, mobile, electric vehicle charging solutions. They are addressing the Indian market with a view to local manufacture. They offer hardware, software and data services to the global EV market and are based in Cambridge.
Flock Energy – London based Flock Energy is building the digital infrastructure for the global energy transition. Using advanced AI, Flock Energy enables energy providers to analyse customer energy data usage in detail, all on one digital platform, to improve demand forecasting, demand-side management and energy efficiency.
Venterra Group – Venterra Group, established in 2021, is a London based offshore wind services company. Venterra operates globally with over 700 employees and specialises in providing comprehensive technical services across the wind farm lifecycle to reduce project risks, time, and costs.
India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and one which is projected to be the fourth largest global importer by 2035. Delivering on the UK Government’s Plan for Change, the Energy Secretary used his visit to increase UK clean energy investment opportunities and place British businesses at the forefront of the global race for renewables.
As one of the world’s biggest emitters, working with India on clean energy and climate is crucial to protecting British families and businesses from the threat of climate change. Increasing investment in renewables and clean technology supports the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower, protecting households from unstable fossil fuel markets and helping keep bills down for good.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
We are standing up for the British people by fighting for investment into our country, and setting the example for all countries play their part in protecting our planet for future generations.
The UK and India are strengthening our partnership under our Plan for Change to unlock investment and accelerate the global transition to clean, secure, affordable energy.
Both our countries are determined to address the climate emergency to protect our way of life, while reaping the rewards of the industrial and economic opportunity of our time.
The Energy Secretary took part in the fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue with India’s Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar, and met with G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant.
Both countries agreed:
a new shared ambition on offshore wind, including a UK-India Offshore Wind Taskforce to drive the progress needed across the offshore wind supply chains and financing models
funding to reform in India’s power sector to support decarbonisation through UKPACT, which aims to deliver grid transformation as part of India’s renewables rollout
an extension of the bilateral Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy in India (ASPIRE) programme, which will work to deliver round-the-clock power supply, accelerate industrial decarbonisation and roll out renewables
This builds on the UK and India’s close collaboration to tackle climate change through innovation agreed as part of the Technology Security Initiative in 2024, from using AI to increase resilience, to bringing together experts to safeguard the critical minerals needed for renewable technologies like wind turbines and batteries.
Talks come ahead of expected negotiations with India on a Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty, led by the Business and Trade Secretary, at the end of the month.
Striking a deal would increase economic growth across both countries, facilitating the trade of renewable technologies and sustainable materials, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.
There are over 950 Indian-owned companies in the UK and over 650 UK companies in India supporting over 600,000 jobs and driving innovation across both economies.
Engagement with India comes ahead of COP30, due to take place in Brazil later this year, where both countries will be pushing for ambitious outcomes to address the climate emergency.
The United States shares the pathologies of all dying empires with their mixture of buffoonery, rampant corruption, military fiascos, economic collapse and savage state repression.
ANALYSIS: By Chris Hedges
The billionaires, Christian fascists, grifters, psychopaths, imbeciles, narcissists and deviants who have seized control of Congress, the White House and the courts, are cannibalising the machinery of state. These self-inflicted wounds, characteristic of all late empires, will cripple and destroy the tentacles of power. And then, like a house of cards, the empire will collapse.
Blinded by hubris, unable to fathom the empire’s diminishing power, the mandarins in the Trump administration have retreated into a fantasy world where hard and unpleasant facts no longer intrude. They sputter incoherent absurdities while they usurp the Constitution and replace diplomacy, multilateralism and politics with threats and loyalty oaths.
Agencies and departments, created and funded by acts of Congress, are going up in smoke.
The rulers of all late empires, including the Roman emperors Caligula and Nero or Charles I, the last Habsburg ruler, are as incoherent as the Mad Hatter, uttering nonsensical remarks, posing unanswerable riddles and reciting word salads of inanities. They, like Donald Trump, are a reflection of the moral, intellectual and physical rot that plague a diseased society. Cartoon: Mr Fish/The Chris Hedges Report
They are removing government reports and data on climate change and withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement,. They are pulling out of the World Health Organisation.
They are sanctioning officials who work at the International Criminal Court — which issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza.
They suggested Canada become the 51st state. They have formed a task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias.” They call for the annexation of Greenland and the seizure of the Panama Canal.
They propose the construction of luxury resorts on the coast of a depopulated Gaza under US control which, if it takes place, would bring down the Arab regimes propped up by the US.
Uttering nonsensical remarks The rulers of all late empires, including the Roman emperors Caligula and Nero or Charles I, the last Habsburg ruler, are as incoherent as the Mad Hatter, uttering nonsensical remarks, posing unanswerable riddles and reciting word salads of inanities. They, like Donald Trump, are a reflection of the moral, intellectual and physical rot that plague a diseased society.
These Christian fascists, who define the core ideology of the Trump administration, are unapologetic about their hatred for pluralistic, secular democracies. They seek, as they exhaustively detail in numerous “Christian” books and documents such as the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, to deform the judiciary and legislative branches of government, along with the media and academia, into appendages to a “Christianised” state led by a divinely anointed leader.
They openly admire Nazi apologists such as Rousas John Rushdoony, a supporter of eugenics who argues that education and social welfare should be handed over to the churches and Biblical law must replace the secular legal code, and Nazi party theorists such as Carl Schmitt.
They are avowed racists, misogynists and homophobes. They embrace bizarre conspiracy theories from the white replacement theory to a shadowy monster they call “the woke.” Suffice it to say, they are not grounded in a reality based universe.
Christian fascists come out of a theocratic sect called Dominionism. This sect teaches that American Christians have been mandated to make America a Christian state and an agent of God. Political and intellectual opponents of this militant Biblicalism are condemned as agents of Satan.
“Under Christian dominion, America will no longer be a sinful and fallen nation but one in which the 10 Commandments form the basis of our legal system, creationism and ‘Christian values’ form the basis of our educational system, and the media and the government proclaim the Good News to one and all,” I noted in my book.
“Labour unions, civil-rights laws and public schools will be abolished. Women will be removed from the workforce to stay at home, and all those deemed insufficiently Christian will be denied citizenship. Aside from its proselytising mandate, the federal government will be reduced to the protection of property rights and ‘homeland’ security.”
Chris Hedges talks to Marc Lamont Hill on Up Front on why “democracy doesn’t exist in the United States” today. Video: Al Jazeera
Comforting to most Americans The Christian fascists and their billionaire funders, I noted, “speak in terms and phrases that are familiar and comforting to most Americans, but they no longer use words to mean what they meant in the past.”
They commit logocide, killing old definitions and replacing them with new ones. Words — including truth, wisdom, death, liberty, life and love — are deconstructed and assigned diametrically opposed meanings.Life and death, for example, mean life in Christ or death to Christ, a signal of belief of unbelief. Wisdom refers to the level of commitment and obedience to the doctrine.
Liberty is not about freedom, but the liberty that comes from following Jesus Christ and being liberated from the dictates of secularism. Love is twisted to mean an unquestioned obedience to those, such as Trump, who claim to speak and act for God.As the death spiral accelerates, phantom enemies, domestic and foreign, will be blamed for the demise, persecuted and slated for obliteration.
Once the wreckage is complete, ensuring the immiseration of the citizenry, a breakdown in public services and engendering an inchoate rage, only the blunt instrument of state violence will remain. A lot of people will suffer, especially as the climate crisis inflicts with greater and greater intensity its lethal retribution.
The near-collapse of our constitutional system of checks and balances took place long before the arrival of Trump. Trump’s return to power represents the death rattle of the Pax Americana. The day is not far off when, like the Roman Senate in 27 BC, Congress will take its last significant vote and surrender power to a dictator. The Democratic Party, whose strategy seems to be to do nothing and hope Trump implodes, have already acquiesced to the inevitable.
The question is not whether we go down, but how many millions of innocents we will take with us. Given the industrial violence our empire wields, it could be a lot, especially if those in charge decide to reach for the nukes.
Foreign aid is not benevolent. It is weaponised to maintain primacy over the United Nations and remove governments the empire deems hostile. Those nations in the UN and other multilateral organisations who vote the way the empire demands, who surrender their sovereignty to global corporations and the US military, receive assistance. Those who don’t do not.
Foreign aid builds infrastructure projects so corporations can operate global sweatshops and extract resources. It funds “democracy promotion” and “judicial reform” that thwart the aspirations of political leaders and governments that seek to remain independent from the grip of the empire.
USAID, for example, paid for a “political party reform project” that was designed “as a counterweight” to the “radical” Movement Toward Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) and sought to prevent socialists like Evo Morales from being elected in Bolivia. It then funded organisations and initiatives, including training programmes so Bolivian youth could be taught the American business practices, once Morales assumed the presidency, to weaken his hold on power.
Kennard in his book, The Racket: A Rogue Reporter vs The American Empire, documents how US institutions such as the National Endowment for Democracy, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, USAID and the Drug Enforcement Administration, work in tandem with the Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency to subjugate and oppress the Global South.
Client states that receive aid must break unions, impose austerity measures, keep wages low and maintain puppet governments. The heavily funded aid programmes, designed to bring down Morales, eventually led the Bolivian president to throw USAID out of the country.
The lie peddled to the public is that this aid benefits both the needy overseas and us at home. But the inequality these programmes facilitate abroad replicates the inequality imposed domestically. The wealth extracted from the Global South is not equitably distributed. It ends up in the hands of the billionaire class, often stashed in overseas bank accounts to avoid taxation.
Our US tax dollars, meanwhile, disproportionately funds the military, which is the iron fist that sustains the system of exploitation. The 30 million Americans who were victims of mass layoffs and deindustrialisation lost their jobs to workers in sweatshops overseas. As Kennard notes, both home and abroad, it is a vast “transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich globally and domestically”.
Legitimises theft at home “The same people that devise the myths about what we do abroad have also built up a similar ideological system that legitimises theft at home; theft from the poorest, by the richest,” he writes. “The poor and working people of Harlem have more in common with the poor and working people of Haiti than they do with their elites, but this has to be obscured for the racket to work.”
Foreign aid maintains sweatshops or “special economic zones” in countries such as Haiti, where workers toil for pennies an hour and often in unsafe conditions for global corporations.
“One of the facets of special economic zones, and one of the incentives for corporations in the US, is that special economic zones have even less regulations than the national state on how you can treat labour and taxes and customs,” Kennard told me in an interview.
“You open these sweatshops in the special economic zones. You pay the workers a pittance. You get all the resources out without having to pay customs or tax. The state in Mexico or Haiti or wherever it is, where they’re offshoring this production, doesn’t benefit at all. That’s by design. The coffers of the state are always the ones that never get increased. It’s the corporations that benefit.”
These same US institutions and mechanisms of control, Kennard writes in his book, were employed to sabotage the electoral campaign of Jeremy Corbyn, a fierce critic of the US empire, for prime minister in Britain.
The US disbursed nearly $72 billion in foreign aid in fiscal year 2023. It funded clean water initiatives, HIV/Aids treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work. In 2024, it provided 42 percent of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations.
Humanitarian aid, often described as “soft power,” is designed to mask the theft of resources in the Global South by US corporations, the expansion of the footprint of the US military, the rigid control of foreign governments, the devastation caused by fossil fuel extraction, the systemic abuse of workers in global sweatshops and the poisoning of child labourers in places like the Congo, where they are used to mine lithium.
The demise of American power I doubt Musk and his army of young minions in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — which isn’t an official department within the federal government — have any idea about how the organisations they are destroying work, why they exist or what it will mean for the demise of American power.
The seizure of government personnel records and classified material, the effort to terminate hundreds of millions of dollars worth of government contracts — mostly those which relate to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the offers of buyouts to “drain the swamp” including a buyout offer to the entire workforce of the Central Intelligence Agency — now temporarily blocked by a judge — the firing of 17 or 18 inspectors generals and federal prosecutors, the halting of government funding and grants, sees them cannibalise the leviathan they worship.
They plan to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education and the US Postal Service, part of the internal machinery of the empire. The more dysfunctional the state becomes, the more it creates a business opportunity for predatory corporations and private equity firms. These billionaires will make a fortune “harvesting” the remains of the empire. But they are ultimately slaying the beast that created American wealth and power.
Once the dollar is no longer the world’s reserve currency, something the dismantling of the empire guarantees, the US will be unable to pay for its huge deficits by selling Treasury bonds. The American economy will fall into a devastating depression. This will trigger a breakdown of civil society, soaring prices, especially for imported products, stagnant wages and high unemployment rates.
The funding of at least 750 overseas military bases and our bloated military will become impossible to sustain. The empire will instantly contract. It will become a shadow of itself. Hypernationalism, fueled by an inchoate rage and widespread despair, will morph into a hate-filled American fascism.
Despite the aura of omnipotence empires often project, most are surprisingly fragile, lacking the inherent strength of even a modest nation-state. Indeed, a glance at their history should remind us that the greatest of them are susceptible to collapse from diverse causes, with fiscal pressures usually a prime factor. For the better part of two centuries, the security and prosperity of the homeland has been the main objective for most stable states, making foreign or imperial adventures an expendable option, usually allocated no more than 5 percent of the domestic budget. Without the financing that arises almost organically inside a sovereign nation, empires are famously predatory in their relentless hunt for plunder or profit — witness the Atlantic slave trade, Belgium’s rubber lust in the Congo, British India’s opium commerce, the Third Reich’s rape of Europe, or the Soviet exploitation of Eastern Europe.
When revenues shrink or collapse, McCoy points out, “empires become brittle.”
“So delicate is their ecology of power that, when things start to go truly wrong, empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, just 27 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003 [when the US invaded Iraq],” he writes.
The array of tools used for global dominance — wholesale surveillance, the evisceration of civil liberties, including due process, torture, militarised police, the massive prison system, militarised drones and satellites — will be employed against a restive and enraged population.
The devouring of the carcass of the empire to feed the outsized greed and egos of these scavengers presages a new dark age.
Rich nations pledged to contribute at least $300 billion annually to the global fight against climate change as UN climate talks came to a contentious end early Sunday morning in Baku. Developing nations who had sought over $1 trillion in assistance called the agreement “insulting” and argued it did not give them the vital resources they required to truly address the complexities of the climate crisis.
After two weeks of intense negotiations, delegates at COP29, formally the 29th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), agreed to provide this funding annually, with an overall climate financing target to reach “at least $1.3 trillion by 2035”.
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Countries also agreed on the rules for a UN-backed global carbon market. This market will facilitate the trading of carbon credits, incentivizing countries to reduce emissions and invest in climate-friendly projects.
These were among the big-ticket issues decided upon as the summit, underway since 11 November in the enormous Baku Stadium in the Azerbaijan capital, ran into double overtime.
Other steps forward at COP29 included:
This summit had been dubbed the ‘climate finance COP’, and representatives from all countries were seeking to establish a new, higher climate finance goal.
The target, or new collective quantified goal (NCQG), will replace the existing $100 billion goal that is due to expire in 2025.
In the closing days at COP29, negotiating teams from the developed and developing worlds were deadlocked over a final deal, with reports that representatives for least developed countries and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOIS) had walked out of the talks.
But he continued, this agreement provides a base on which to build and added: It must be honoured in full and on time. Commitments must quickly become cash. All countries must come together to ensure the top-end of this new goal is met.”
For many vulnerable nations, it represents a glimmer of hope—but only if commitments translate into swift action. “Commitments must quickly become cash,” the Secretary-General stressed, urging all countries to work together to meet the upper end of the new financial goal.
Beyond finance, COP29 built on previous gains in emissions reduction targets, the acceleration of the energy transition, and a long-sought agreement on carbon markets. These achievements come despite an “uncertain and divided geopolitical landscape,” which threatened to derail negotiations.
The UN chief commended negotiators for finding common ground, noting, “You have shown that multilateralism – centred on the Paris Agreement – can find a path through the most difficult issues.”
‘An insurance policy for humanity’
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell described the new finance goal agreed at COP29 as “an insurance policy for humanity.”
“This deal will keep the clean energy boom growing and protect billions of lives. It will help all countries to share in the huge benefits of bold climate action: more jobs, stronger growth, cheaper and cleaner energy for all. But like any insurance policy – it only works – if the premiums are paid in full, and on time.”
He acknowledged that no country got everything they wanted, and that the world leaves Baku with a mountain of work to do. “So, this is no time for victory laps. We need to set our sights and redouble our efforts on the road to Belém,” in the eastern Amazonian region of Brazil, which is set to host COP30 next year.
‘Weak, insulting deal’
While some delegations applauded the deal, many from the developing world, including Bolivia and Nigeria, expressed their deep disappointment at what they argued was an “insultingly low” financing target and that the agreed text failed to significantly build on an agreement last year at COP28 in Dubai calling for nations to “transition away from fossil fuels”.
India’s representative strongly denounced the new goal, calling it a “paltry sum” and emphasizing, “We seek a much higher ambition from the developed countries [and the amount agreed] does not inspire trust that we will come out of this grave problem of climate change.”
A representative from a group of small island nations said: “After this COP29 ends, we cannot just sail off into the sunset. We are literally sinking,” and the conference outcome highlighted “what a very different boat our vulnerable countries are in, compared to the developed countries”.
UNFCCC/Kiara Worth
Civil society actors at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, advocate for climate financing initiatives.
Sierra Leone’s representative said African nations were disappointed in the outcome, which “signals a lack of goodwill by developed countries.” Indeed, the $300 billion deal was “less than a quarter of what science shows is needed and barely enough to forestall a climate catastrophe”.
Striking a different tone, a representative from the delegation of the European Union said the new climate finance goal would “simply will bring much, much more private money on the table, and that is what we need. And with these funds, we are confident we will reach the 1.3 trillion objective.”
Want to know more? Check out our special events page, where you can find all our coverage of COP29, including stories and videos, explainers and our newsletter.
Some, often more quietly, will welcome it from an anti-imperialist or “Southern” perspective, believing that the agency was at worst a blunt instrument of US hegemony or at least a bastion of Western saviourism.
I want to come at this topic from a different angle, by providing a brief personal perspective on USAID as an organisation, based on several decades of occasional interaction with it during my time as an Australian aid official.
Essentially, I view USAID as a harried, hamstrung and traumatised organisation, not as a rogue agency or finely-tuned vehicle of US statecraft.
Peer country representative My own experience with USAID began when I participated as a peer country representative in an OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) peer review of the US’s foreign assistance programme in the early 1990s, which included visits to US assistance programmes in Bangladesh and the Philippines, as well as to USAID headquarters in Washington DC.
I later dealt with the agency in many other roles, including during postings to the OECD and Indonesia and through my work on global and regional climate change and health programmes, up to and including the pandemic years.
An image is firmly lodged in my mind from that DAC peer review visit to Washington. We had had days of back-to-back meetings in USAID headquarters with a series of exhausted-looking, distracted and sometimes grumpy executives who didn’t have much reason to care what the OECD thought about the US aid effort.
It was a muggy summer day. At one point a particularly grumpy meeting chair, who now rather reminds of me of Gary Oldman’s character in Slow Horses, mopped the sweat from his forehead with his necktie without appearing to be aware of what he was doing. Since then, that man has been my mental model of a USAID official.
But why so exhausted, distracted and grumpy?
Precisely because USAID is about the least freewheeling workplace one could construct. Certainly it is administratively independent, in the sense that it was created by an act of Congress, but it also receives its budget from the President and Congress — and that budget comes with so many strings attached, in the form of country- or issue-related “earmarks” or other directives that it might be logically impossible to allocate the funds as instructed.
Some of these earmarks are broad and unsurprising (for example, specific allocations for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment under the Bush-era PEPFAR program) while others represent niche interests (Senator John McCain once ridiculed earmarks pertaining to “peanuts, orangutans, gorillas, neotropical raptors, tropical fish and exotic plants”) — but none originates within USAID.
Informal earmarks calculation I recall seeing an informal calculation showing that one could only satisfy all the percentage-based earmarks by giving most of the dollars several quite different jobs to do. A 2002 DAC peer review noted with disapproval some 270 earmarks or other directive provisions in aid legislation; by the time of the most recent peer review in 2022, this number was more like 700.
Related in part to this congressional micro-management of its budget — along with the usual distrust of organisations that “send” money overseas — USAID labours under particularly gruelling accountability and reporting requirements.
Andew Natsios — a former USAID Administrator and lifelong Republican who has recently come to USAID’s defence (albeit with arguments that not everybody would deem helpful) — wrote about this in 2010. In terms reminiscent of current events, he described the reign of terror of Lieutenant-General Herbert Beckington, a former Marine Corps officer who led USAID‘s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) from 1977 to 1994.
He was a powerful iconic figure in Washington, and his influence over the structure of the foreign aid programME remains with USAID today. … Known as “The General” at USAID, Beckington was both feared and despised by career officers. Once referred to by USAID employees as “the agency’s J. Edgar Hoover — suspicious, vindictive, eager to think the worst” …
At one point, he told the Washington Post that USAID’s white-collar crime rate was “higher than that of downtown Detroit.” … In a seminal moment in this clash between OIG and USAID, photographs were published of two senior officers who had been accused of some transgression being taken away in handcuffs by the IG investigators for prosecution, a scene that sent a broad chill through the career staff and, more than any other single event, forced a redirection of aid practice toward compliance.
Labyrinthine accountability systems On top of the burdens of logically impossible programming and labyrinthine accountability systems is the burden of projecting American generosity. As far as humanly possible, and perhaps a little further, ways must be found of ensuring that American aid is sourced from American institutions, farms or factories and, if it is in the form of commodities, that it is transported on American vessels.
Failing that, there must be American flags. I remember a USAID officer stationed in Banda Aceh after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami spending a non-trivial amount of his time seeking to attach sizeable flags to the front of trucks transporting US (but also non-US) emergency supplies around the province of Aceh.
President Trump’s adviser Stephen Miller has somehow determined to his own satisfaction that the great majority (in fact 98 percent) of USAID personnel are donors to the Democratic Party. Whether or not that is true, let alone relevant, Democrat administrations have arguably been no kinder to USAID than Republican ones over the years.
Natsios, in the piece cited above, notes that The General was installed under Carter, who ran on anti-Washington ticket, and that there were savage cuts — over 400 positions — to USAID senior career service staffing under Clinton. USAID gets battered no matter which way the wind blows.
Which brings me back to necktie guy. It has always seemed to me that the platonic form of a USAID officer, while perhaps more likely than not to vote Democrat, is a tired and dispirited person, weary of politicians of all stripes, bowed under his or her burdens, bound to a desk and straitjacketed by accountability requirements, regularly buffeted by new priorities and abrupt restructures, and put upon by the ignorant and suspicious.
Radical-left Marxists and vipers probably wouldn’t tolerate such an existence for long. Who would? I guess it’s either thieves and money-launderers or battle-scarred professionals intent on doing a decent job against tall odds.
Robin Davies is an honorary professor at the Australian National University’s (ANU) Crawford School of Public Policy and managing editor of the Devpolicy Blog. He previously held senior positions at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and AusAID.
As a global leader in renewable energy, India is transitioning from fossil fuel-based hydrogen to green hydrogen, driven by technological advancements, cost reductions, and supportive policies. Initiatives like the National Green Hydrogen Mission and Green Hydrogen Policy aim to establish India as a global hub, targeting an annual production of 5 million metric tons by 2030. The strategy emphasizes investments in indigenous technologies, pilot projects, and infrastructure to boost domestic demand and production. However, significant challenges remain in scaling up green hydrogen production. These include high capital expenditures for electrolyzers, gaps in transportation and storage technologies, and material dependencies. While alkaline electrolysis systems are not expected to face long-term material constraints, they still require substantial quantities of steel, nickel, and copper per megawatt. India’s dependence on imported nickel could disrupt supply chains even for these systems. To address these challenges, collaboration between the government, public enterprises, and the private sector is essential for building a sustainable green hydrogen ecosystem. By 2030, India’s investment in green hydrogen and its ammonia capacity is estimated to reach approximately $34.0 billion, with $9.3 billion (27%) from government-owned enterprises and $24.8 billion (73%) from major private companies, based on their current investment plans. This investment is projected to achieve a green hydrogen and green ammonia capacity of over 10 million metric tons by 2030, doubling the government’s target. While economic analysis shows that green hydrogen projects can be viable in accordance with the Asian Development Bank’s economic analysis guideline, financial analysis underscores the need for financing mechanisms—such as public funding, guaranteed pricing, and operational support—to make projects more competitive and attract investment. In particular, concessional funding will play a key role in mitigating risk and attracting initial investments. Additionally, a unified policy approach must address the development of infrastructure and foster collaboration across multiple stakeholders. Given the scarcity of key raw materials for electrolyzers, such as iridium and platinum, exploring alternative options like anion exchange membrane electrolyzers could be strategically significant for scaling up production. International partnerships for green hydrogen exports will also be important to support expansion on a large scale.
Brazil’s first-ever Minister of Indigenous Peoples and an initiative promoting sustainable agriculture in Egypt are among the six recipients of the 2024 Champions of the Earth award, announced by the UN EnvironmentProgramme(UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday.
The laureates were honoured for their outstanding leadership, brave actions and sustainable solutions to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification.
Protecting people and the planet
The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour and recognizes trailblazers from the public and private sectors, civil society and academia who are at the forefront of efforts to protect both people and the planet.
It has been presented annually since 2005, with122 laureates to date.
This year, nominations focused on finding champions who are restoring degraded land, increasing drought resilience and preventing desertification.
Honouring ‘extraordinary individuals’
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen noted that almost 40 per cent of the world’s land is already degraded. At the same time, desertification is on the rise and devastating droughts are becoming more regular.
“The good news is that solutions already exist today, and around the world, extraordinary individuals and organizations are demonstrating that it is possible to defend and heal our planet,” she said.
“The efforts of the 2024 Champions of the Earth stand tall as a reminder that the fight to protect our land, our rivers and our oceans is a fight we can win. With the right policies, scientific breakthroughs, system reforms, activism, as well as the vital leadership and wisdom of Indigenous Peoples, we can restore our ecosystems.”
Meet the Champions
Sonia Guajajara, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples, was honoured in the Policy Leadership category.
Ms. Guajajara has been advocating for Indigenous rights for more than two decades. She became Brazil’s first Minister of Indigenous Peoples and the country’s first female Indigenous minister in 2023. Under her leadership, 10 territories have been recognized as Indigenous land to ward off deforestation, illegal logging, and drug traffickers.
Amy Bowers Cordalis, an Indigenous rights advocate, received the award in the Inspiration and Action category
Ms. Cordalis is using her legal expertise and passion for restoration to secure a better future for the Yurok tribe and the Klamath River in the United States. UNEP said her work to restore the river ecosystem and encourage the adoption of sustainable fishing practices demonstrate how bold environmental action can bring significant positive change, while upholding Indigenous Peoples’ rights and livelihoods.
Gabriel Paun, a Romanian environmental defender, was honoured in the Inspiration and Action category.
Mr. Paun is the founder of Agent Green, a non-governmental organization (NGO) which has been helping save thousands of hectares of precious biodiversity in the Carpathians since 2009 by exposing the destruction and illegal logging of Europe’s last old growth forest.
He has received death threats and been physically attacked for his work in documenting deforestation in an area that is vital for the ecosystem and supports unique biodiversity such as endangered lynx and wolves.
Chinese scientist Lu Qi was honoured in the Science and Innovation category. He has worked in science and policy sectors for three decades, helping China reverse degradation and shrink its deserts
As Chief Scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and founding President of the Institute of Great Green Wall, Mr. Lu has played a key role in implementing the world’s largest afforestation project, establishing expert research networks and partnerships, and boosting multilateral cooperation to stem desertification, land degradation and drought.
Madhav Gadgil, an Indian ecologist was named as the laureate in the Lifetime Achievement category. He has spent decades protecting people and the planet through research and community engagement.
“From landmark environmental impact assessments of state and national policies to grassroots environmental engagement, Gadgil’s work has greatly influenced public opinion and official policies on the protection of natural resources.
“He is renowned for his seminal work in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats region of India, which is a unique global biodiversity hotspot,” said UNEP.
The SEKEM initiative in Egypt was honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category for helping farmers transition to more sustainable agriculture.
Its promotion of biodynamic agriculture plus afforestation and reforestation work has been transforming large swathes of desert into thriving agricultural business, advancing sustainable development across the country.
A woman carries a baby and a water container as she walks across arid land in Niger.
Restoring the world’s ecosystems
Roughly 3.2 billion people worldwide are currently threatened by desertification, according to UNEP. Additionally, by 2050, more than three-quarters of the world’s population is expected to be affected by droughts.
Led by UNEP and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and supported by partners, it aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems worldwide to revive billions of hectares of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
The announcement of the 2024 Champions of the Earth on 10 December coincides with Human Rights Day and the Resilience Day at the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nepal is exposed to a range of natural hazards, such as floods, landslides, droughts, and severe weather events including lightning storms. Nepal’s population is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as it largely relies on agriculture, tourism and natural resources, with a shift towards services and away from agriculture in recent years. The accelerated melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas increases the risk from related hazards such as glacial lake outburst floods and avalanches. It also impacts the availability of water and hydropower for 2 billion people downstream of major Asian rivers originating in the Himalayas in the longer term. Nepal is further prone to earthquakes as it is located above the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Environmental sustainability, climate and disaster resilience are a priority of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 for Nepal, including a focus area on the reduction of vulnerabilities, disaster risk reduction, preparedness and effective response and recovery. The Results Group on Disaster Risk Reduction is co-chaired by WFP and UNDP, who coordinate closely with the Resident Coordinator’s Office and the Humanitarian Country Team. Leaving no-one behind and the localization of sustainable development efforts cut across the four priorities of the Framework and translates into targeting the most vulnerable through household-level data gathering and supporting social protection systems.
The United Nations organizations are supporting Nepal’s localised approach to resilience building and disaster risk reduction at the federal, provincial, and local levels of government. Close and sustained cooperation at all levels of government since the federalisation in 2017 has led to the creation of disaster risk reduction plans that are implemented with government resources, with the United Nations organizations mainly being requested to provide specialised technical support.
An innovative system of providing single entry points for government officials is the Provincial Focal Point Agencies concept, which nominates one of the UN organizations present at the provincial level as the focal point to liaise with provincial governments, relay information, convene development partners around the request for support, and hold coordination meetings. The Provincial Focal Point Agencies are supported in their function through a direct line of communication with the UN Resident Coordinator. This concept has already demonstrated its efficiency for disaster risk governance and emergency management. For example, during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when travel restrictions were in place and around 100,000 migrant workers were returning to Nepal at once, the conditions in more than 1,000 quarantine sites were assessed by locally-based development partners. At the request of the Government of Nepal, the Provincial Focal Points Agencies reached out to the partners, trained them on the survey provided by the Government, and the assessment of quarantine sites was completed within two weeks.
In 2023, the Promoting Action for Disaster Risk Governance and Working to Achieve Preparedness for Risk Reduction through Technical Assistance in Nepal (PARIWARTAN) project concluded. It was implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in consortium with the National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal, Practical Action Consulting, and Lutheran World Federation. It provided technical assistance to the three tiers of government (federal level, 7 provinces, 753 local levels) in implementing the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act in a coordinated and inclusive manner. The Disaster Risk Management Localization Manual: An Operational Training Manual for Disaster Risk Management Capacity Building of Local Governments was developed in close coordination with the Government of Nepal. More than 19,900 government officials were trained on disaster risk reduction and management in all 753 local level municipalities that supported strengthening community resilience. The training has spurred local government actions such as the formulation or amendment of legal documents, standards and guidelines to implement disaster preparedness and response activities, the increase of budgets allocated for disaster risk management, the formation of disaster risk management committees, as well as a shift in focus from response to preparedness prioritizing multiple hazards prevalent in the local context.
Over the last 10 years the United Nations Country Team has built a unique and innovative research partnership with a consortium of universities to provide new forms of evidence to guide disaster risk governance. This consortium, called Sajag-Nepal, includes organisations in Nepal, the UK, Canada, and New Zealand. Working together, the consortium and the Resident Coordinator’s Office have pioneered a new scenario ensemble[1] approach to understanding hazards, enabling risk-informed contingency planning for both the annual monsoon and for infrequent large earthquakes. For earthquakes, the Resident Coordinator’s Office worked with researchers to develop an ensemble of possible impacts in a future earthquake, irrespective of where that earthquake occurs. This ensemble now forms the basis of both cluster contingency plans and provincial preparedness planning. For the monsoon, Sajag-Nepal researchers are using data on past monsoon impacts recorded in the government’s portal to anticipate the possible pattern of impacts in the next monsoon, helping the humanitarian clusters and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) to develop a more informed preparedness plan. The research has also developed a novel way of anticipating landslide impacts during the monsoon using 14-day rainfall forecasts. The Resident Coordinator’s Office is exploring the use of this approach as a readiness trigger for possible anticipatory action. The project is also using participatory mapping in several landslide-prone areas of Nepal to understand how people move and how their exposure to landslides varies over different time scales – with the ultimate goal of being able to better map the risks that residents face in these communities.
The Strengthening Urban Preparedness, Earthquake Preparedness and Response in Western Regions of Nepal (SUPER) project is being implemented by a UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women consortium along with local implementing partners across three provinces and four municipalities in Western Nepal. The project works in close coordination with the NDRRMA at the federal level, as well as with provincial and local level decision makers. The project uses the earthquake scenario ensembles that were co-created by the Resident Coordinator’s Office and the Sajag-Nepal team. It enhances and institutionalizes municipal and provincial preparedness for urban and earthquake risks in 3 provinces and 4 municipalities in the western regions of Nepal. It does so by enhancing the understanding of risk, preparedness measures, reducing risk, including through reinforcing building codes and retrofitting practices. The project works with multiple stakeholders at all three federal tiers, including the community, private ector, academia, international governmental organizations, UN organizations, the Nepal Red Cross Society, and international and national non-governmental organizations.
As the government has ownership of the project and provides it with a budget in its annual plans the sustainability of the work is ensured. The project results are delivered under the leadership of respective government authorities and include impact modelling of potential earthquake scenarios, vulnerability and capacity assessments, strengthening Emergency Operation Centres and capacity building – for example supporting the development of earthquake contingency plans for clusters (such as Health, Protection, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), which were developed with the leadership of relevant provincial ministries and were referred to extensively during the 2023 Jajarkot earthquake response.
The SUPER consortium collaborates with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, and partners such as WHO, WFP, and IFRC to strengthen humanitarian architecture and cluster mechanisms in provinces, also through the development of cluster contingency plans. This strengthening proved very effective in response to the Jajarkot earthquake in 2023. For example, the implementation of the Health Contingency Plan was endorsed within the same day, and all sectoral information was efficiently relayed by WFP as the Provincial Focal Point Agency. The project has been working towards enabling gender equality, disability and social inclusion mainstreaming in disaster risk reduction through developing a checklist for disaster preparedness, as well as a gender-responsive costing framework for earthquakes and urban flooding, conducting a women’s safety audit together with women-led community-based organizations, and a simulation exercise on resource pooling with gender-responsive considerations.
Nepal has a UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Anticipatory Action pilot framework to provide collective anticipatory humanitarian action to people at risk of predicted severe monsoon flooding with delivery planned through UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WFP and WHO in partnership with the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and national NGOs and in close collaboration with the federal, provincial and local authorities.
Also, IOM, jointly with the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS), Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Population Studies (CDPS) and the National Planning Commission have established a Migration School in 2023, a two-week academic forum to foster collaboration among educational institutions, policymakers and experts on human mobility, including climate and disaster displacement.
[1] scenario ensembles: estimation of the likelihood and scale of future hazard impacts, determining locations where impacts are most likely to occur, along with the average and worst-case impacts for all locations, so that both emergency relief and disaster risk reduction activities can be prioritized; source: Robinson, T.; Rosser, N.; Densmore, A.; Oven, K.; Shrestha, S.; Guragain, R. (2018) Use of scenario ensembles for deriving seismic risk
In the early hours of 6 February 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck west-northwest of Gaziantep, Türkiye. Less than 10 hours later another shock measuring 7.7 shook the same area.
The disaster took more than 60,000 human lives across southern and central Türkiye and northern and western Syria, causing catastrophic damages and suffering.
In the aftermath, national and local authorities and communities have undertaken remarkable reconstruction efforts, setting new benchmarks for swift recovery and “build back better” principles.
This earthquake was another reminder of the high risk of catastrophic losses from earthquakes.
Hydro-meteorological disasters are increasing, keeping them in public policy focus. Earthquakes, however, get overlooked, even while they pose increasing risks, driven by expanding, unsafe built environment.
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) estimated in its 2023 Biennial Report that nearly 30% of expected average annual losses globally are linked to earthquakes.
There’s a much-repeated adage that goes “it is not earthquakes that kill people, it’s weak buildings and infrastructure that kill people.” And weak buildings and infrastructure – in other words unsafe built environments – are an outcome of social and economic processes characterized by low awareness (with low social demand for seismic safety), inadequate capabilities (not enough trained engineers, contractors and building artisans), low or no standards (inadequate seismic safety codes and building by-laws), and weak governance capacity (capability to enforce the adoption of seismic safety codes where they do exist).
We have the know-how
Our understanding of the physics of earthquakes has improved. We also understand how buildings and infrastructure respond to earthquakes, and we know how to make them safer. From designing a simple structure to a complex physical infrastructure, engineering knowledge is at an all-time high.
Yet the risk of losses from earthquakes is rising in most seismic countries.
But trend is not destiny. It can be arrested. It can be reversed.
Four public policy approaches for seismic safety
1) Take a long view, but start now.
Every long journey starts with a first step. Our stock of unsafe buildings and infrastructure was accumulated over decades, and it is a daunting prospect to consider replacing and retrofitting them quickly. However, if each city and each village in every earthquake-prone region were to resolve to build every new building or infrastructure project to an earthquake-resistant standard, in just a decade we would be having a very different conversation. We need to redouble efforts to develop seismic building codes (where they don’t exist) and enforce them.
For existing buildings and infrastructure, we need to develop shared priorities across communities, governments and the private sector to systematically retrofit and strengthen them. This prioritisation must be underpinned by a clear understanding of the risks, which is the first priority of the Sendai Framework.
Disaster scenarios, such as those created by GeoHazards International can allow communities to visualize potential impacts and prioritize mitigation strategies effectively. Using whatever resources are available, we can strengthen one hospital, one school at a time. This will not only improve seismic safety but will also have other co-benefits in terms of enhanced awareness and better quality of built environment for everyday use.
At the same time, we must find retrofitting solutions that are practical, that help prevent the catastrophic collapse of buildings, and that can be implemented at scale. To do this means creating a functioning market for retrofitting- nudged by regulation and fuelled by public sector investments such as advance market commitments.
In Kathmandu Valley, Nepal’s National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) retrofitted 260 schools between 1997 and 2015. Of these, 160 were struck by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, and all experienced, at worst, minor damages – while in other schools more than 25,000 classrooms were destroyed. We have ample proof that investments in retrofitting pay dividends – in avoided losses and in precious lives.
However, these efforts are not easy – they require strengthening disaster risk governance at the local level in very tangible ways.
Innovation is required not just in terms of new technologies but also in risk governance – such as Japan’s introduction of innovative systems after the 1995 Kobe earthquake, involving private sector enforcement of new, stricter codes that mandated retrofitting of older buildings.
Another example is the innovative approach to owner-driven reconstruction taken by SEEDS India after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and continuing through multiple seismic events. Their experience demonstrates that empowering homeowners and local masons leads to safe, sustainable, cost-effective, and culturally appropriate housing-achieved at scales and speeds unmatched by contractor-led programmes.
2) Invest in capabilities at all levels.
Shaping an earthquake-safe built environment requires capabilities in many disciplines and at all levels – urban planning, seismology, earthquake engineering, geotechnical engineering, enhancing disaster resistant construction skills of masons, bar benders, contractors and so on – and in many countries theses capacities are woefully inadequate.
There is no short cut but to systematically invest in developing these capabilities, and to drive demand though regulation and certification.
3) Treat every disaster as an opportunity to learn.
than from any textbook. Observing the performance of buildings and the mode of their failure under earthquake forces brought my theoretical lessons to life.
We say that every disaster is too precious to waste: we must systematically collect data and undertake forensic analysis after every earthquake, so we can improve building codes and enforcement systems, launch awareness campaigns, and better understand the epidemiology of earthquakes. This involves setting up learning systems in our national and sub-national institutions.
4) Foster public awareness.
Maintaining awareness of less frequent but potentially devastating hazards is always a challenge.
Again, there are no quick fixes. Building public awareness starts in the school (catch them young!) and over time can generate greater social demand for seismic safety.
While we transform our built environment over the long term, in the short term we need to teach people how to manage risks. Awareness of simple protection measures – such as DROP, COVER and HOLD during an earthquake, and fixing non-structural elements like flowerpots on balconies, large cupboards in houses – goes a long way in protecting lives.
The path to seismic safety is well established, with many proven success stories from countries and communities that have persevered to reduce earthquake risks enormously. The 1960 Chile earthquake, for example, was the largest earthquake ever recorded since the measurements began, and its impacts were catastrophic. Just 50 years later – in 2010, the same year that Haiti earthquake caused more than 200,000 deaths – Chile was struck once more, by 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. While 523 people tragically lost their lives, this is a fraction of the number that could have died had Chile not applied strict building codes during reconstruction.
We need to follow their lead and make seismic safety a global movement. It is a long journey – but the first step must be taken now.
The extreme heat problem is enormous and requires transformational actions. We need an integrated short, medium and long-term approach to tackling mounting extreme heat disaster risks. At the Belém meeting, I laid out a ten-point DRR action plan for the consideration of G20 in response to the Secretary-General’s call:
Establish heat thresholds: We need to establish location and sector-specific heat thresholds that take temperature, humidity, wind, diurnal variation and persistence into account. These must use the evidence generated by research bringing together meteorology, human and animal health, engineering, and economic sectors. When the Indian city of Ahmedabad applied this approach in 2010-11 it paid rich dividends, showing significant reductions of heat-related deaths.
Develop and practice Heat Action Plans: Many countries have recently developed Heat Action Plans or Strategies. Such approaches are being explored by a number of countries, such as the US National Integrated Heat Health Information System, which brings together all government agencies to guide collective planning, education and action. Heat Action Plans must be localized and above all they must be practiced. Just as we do simulations for cyclones and earthquakes (such as mock drills and table-top exercise), we must run exercises for conditions of extreme heat. Germany, for example, is already planning a table-top simulation for extreme heat for 2025.
Strengthen social protection systems: Extreme heat has immediate and debilitating impacts on those who have the least capacity to absorb any disruption. For example, activating a Heat Action Plan may reduce working hours or completely stop work on construction sites, and so disrupt the subsistence livelihood of the poorest daily-wage workers. We need innovative mechanisms in place to protect such groups. The Mahila Housing Trust in India, for example, launched parametric climate risk insurance for women working in the informal sector. We need to learn from and expand such initiatives.
Heat-responsive building regulations: Building regulations – in the Global North as well as in the Global South – seldom account for extreme heat. We should revise building regulations to take more intense, more frequent extreme heat into account. This could incorporate both passive cooling solutions (appropriate design, orientation, roof and wall materials, and openings) as well as smarter active technology-based cooling solutions.
Enhance the use of nature-based solutions: Natural facilities – green cover, water bodies – provide protection against extreme heat. Where possible, we must proactively incorporate nature-based solutions in development and urban design. Increasing tree cover in urban neighborhoods can improve the microclimate significantly and provide protection against extreme heat. A growing body of research shows that these measures can offer significant benefits beyond extreme heat and urban spaces – reducing risks from other hazards, increasing biodiversity and environmental resources, and improving quality of life
Encourage market-based interventions to stimulate investment in heat resilient building and infrastructure technologies: We need to transform our built environment at scale. For example, to combat extreme heat in low-income settlements, we need cool-roof technologies over millions of square metres. However, the market hasn’t yet responded to such a need. We must find ways to stimulate a market for cool roofing: Governments could provide advance market commitments to encourage innovators and investors (for example, by advance purchases of roofing for low-income settlements).
Go back to vernacular architecture for inspiration: Traditional building designs in historically hot regions can teach us a lot. But many of these practices are being lost to modernization. We must document these traditional building systems, revive, adapt and adopt these for present conditions. This could prompt a transformation of our built environment, particularly in rural settlements. In West Africa, the ‘Association la Voûte Nubienne‘ is doing precisely this with the ancient ‘Nubian vault’ building design, offering financial and practical assistance to locals to replace hot tin roofs with traditional cool designs.
Recognize the connection between urban morphology and extreme heat: We need to adequately recognize the connection between extreme heat and how cities are laid out. Urban planners and climatologists need to join forces in planning heat-resilient towns and cities. We need to support the emerging discipline of urban meteorology.
Exploit emerging technologies to combat extreme heat: Space based systems, sensor technologies, and AI offer exciting opportunities to understand patterns of extreme heat in real time. We can use these tools to identify distress signals, trigger early actions, and mobilize immediate public health response to protect people. SEEDS and Microsoft, for example, have been applying AI for targeted humanitarian action in India. These emerging technologies can also offer insights for heat-responsive architectural and urban design.
Develop an ecosystem of vulnerability studies: While the impact of extreme heat on human health and other bio-physical systems – agriculture, animal husbandry – has been studied at length, we need to go further to examine how extreme heat affects other economic, social, ecological and infrastructure systems. This requires a vibrant research ecosystem that both broadens and deepens our understanding of risks associated with extreme heat.
The Secretary-General’s Call to Action on extreme heat is timely and urgent. This plan to reduce the disaster risks associated with extreme heat is just part of a wider, global and ambitious response, requiring coordinated action across sectors and nations. But it is undeniable that we can’t waste a moment in making sure that everyone, everywhere, is protected from the impacts of intensifying extreme heat.
This webinar serves as a cornerstone event for the 2025 World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC), playing a critical role in advancing the global agenda for disaster risk reduction and recovery readiness. By reflecting on the legacy of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, it aims to inspire collective action and drive progress toward a more resilient future. As a foundational event leading up to the WRRC, which will take place just before the opening of the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction on 3 June 2025, this discussion will generate key insights and recommendations. These outcomes will directly inform the Global Call to Action for Investing in Readiness for Resilient Recovery, to be adopted at the WRRC and contribute to shaping global recovery strategies.
This webinar is co-organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR).
Background
The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami was one of the most devastating disasters in modern history, claiming over 230,000 lives and causing widespread destruction across 14 countries in Asia and Africa. The disaster revealed significant gaps in global disaster preparedness and response, but also catalyzed transformative changes in disaster risk management, recovery strategies and early warning systems.
Over the past two decades, global efforts have led to critical advancements in DRR, including the establishment of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS), the adoption of the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015) and its successor, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). However, challenges remain, particularly in ensuring inclusive, sustained and adequately funded disaster recovery efforts.
Objectives
This webinar will reflect on the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami as a turning point for global disaster risk reduction and recovery readiness. By examining the lessons learned, progress made and gaps that remain, this discussion will generate key insights to advance resilient recovery efforts. The session will explore governance, financing, early warning systems and the role of inclusive recovery in shaping disaster resilience.
The outcomes of this session will directly contribute to the Global Call to Action for Investing in Readiness for Resilient Recovery and inform the broader agenda of the 2025 World Resilient Recovery Conference (WRRC). By reflecting on the long-term impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, this discussion will provide actionable recommendations for accelerating progress on the principles of “Building Back Better” and strengthening disaster resilience. The insights gathered will contribute to shaping inclusive recovery frameworks, emphasizing the need to address vulnerabilities, integrate community voices, and ensure equitable recovery processes in future disaster preparedness and recovery strategies.
The session further aims to:
Understand how the Indian Ocean Tsunami became a turning point on greater investments in disaster risk reduction and related areas, via the Hyogo Framework and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, reflecting upon how large-scale resource mobilization was realized.
Understand how the establishment of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning Systems was made possible across the region and reflect on the progress made since then in terms of governance to reach the last mile of early warning systems
Reflect on lessons learnt in Building Back Better following the Tsunami and where progress is still needed to accelerate.
Droughts across the world are intensifying and have become a “slow onset, silent killer” to which no country is immune, according to the UN’s most senior official working on desertification, drought and land restoration issues.
Ibrahim Thiaw, the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was speaking at the opening of COP16 a major global conference taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where a new global drought regime is expected to be agreed which will promote the shift from reactive relief response to proactive preparedness.
Here’s what you need to know about droughts.
Droughts are increasing in regularity and intensity
Droughts are a natural phenomenon, but in recent decades have been intensified by climate change and unsustainable land practices. Their number has surged by nearly 30 per cent in frequency and intensity since 2000, threatening agriculture, water security, and the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people, with the poorest nations bearing the brunt.
Water availability is essential to prevent migration in places like western Nigeria.
They can also lead to conflict over dwindling resources, including water, and the widespread displacement of people as they migrate towards more productive lands.
No country is immune
More than 30 countries declared drought emergencies in the past three years alone, from India and China, to high-income nations such as the US, Canada and Spain, as well as Uruguay, Southern Africa and even Indonesia.
UN News/Daniel Dickinson
A ship passes through the Panama Canal in Central America.
Droughts impeded grain transportation in the Rhine River in Europe, disrupted international trade via the Panama Canal in Central America, and led to hydropower cuts in the South America country, Brazil, which depends on water for more than 60 per cent of its electricity supply.
Firefighters were even called to an urban park in New York City, in the United States in wintry November 2024 to tackle a bush fire after weeks of no rainfall.
“Droughts have expanded into new territories. No country is immune,” said UNCCD’s Ibrahim Thiaw adding that “by 2050, three in four people globally, up to seven and half billion people, will feel the impact of drought.”
Domino effects
Droughts are rarely confined to a specific place and time and are not simply due to a lack of rainfall but are often the result of a complicated set of events driven or amplified by climate change, as well as sometimes the mismanagement of land.
For example, a hillside which is deforested is immediately degraded. The land will lose its resilience to extreme weather and will become more susceptible to both drought and flooding.
And, once they strike, they can trigger a series of cataclysmic domino effects, supercharging heat waves and even floods, multiplying the risks to people’ s lives and livelihoods with long-lasting human, social and economic costs.
As communities, economies, and ecosystems suffer the damaging effects of drought, their vulnerability is increased to the next one, feeding a vicious cycle of land degradation and underdevelopment.
Drought is a development and a security issue
Around 70 per cent of the world’s available freshwater is in the hands of people living off the land, most of them subsistence farmers in low-income countries with limited livelihood alternatives. Around 2.5 billion of them are youth.
Without water there is no food and no land-based jobs, which can lead to forced migration, instability, and conflict.
“Drought is not merely an environmental matter,” said Andrea Meza, UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary. “Drought is a development and human security matter that we must urgently tackle from across all sectors and governance levels.”
Planning for greater resilience
Droughts are also becoming harsher and faster due to human-induced climate change as well as land mismanagement and typically the global response to it is still reactive. More planning and adaption is required to build resilience to the extreme conditions created by dwindling supplies of water and this often happens at a local level.
UN Haiti/Daniel Dickinson
A beekeeper collects honey in southern Haiti.
In Zimbabwe a youth-led grass-roots organization is aiming to regenerate land by planting one billion trees across the southern African country, while more farmers on the Caribbean island of Haiti are taking to bee-keeping; Bees feed off the trees, so there is an incentive for bee keepers to protect the trees from being cut down. In Mali, a young woman entrepreneur, is creating livelihoods and building resilience to drought by promoting the products of the moringa tree.
Experts say proactive initiatives like these can prevent immense human suffering and is far cheaper than interventions focused on response and recovery.
What next?
At COP16 countries are coming together to agree how to collectively tackle worsening droughts and promote sustainable land management.
Two key pieces of research were launched on the opening day.
The World Drought Atlas depicts the systemic nature of drought risks illustrating how they are interconnected across sectors like energy, agriculture, river transport, and international trade and how they can trigger cascading effects, fueling inequalities and conflicts and threatening public health.
One UN estimate suggests that investments totalling $2.6 trillion will be needed by 2030 to restore land across the world which is affected by drought and poor management.
At COP16 an initial pledge of $2.15 billion was announced to finance the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership.
It will serve as a global facilitator for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response to proactive preparedness,” said Dr Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudia Arabia, adding that “we also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world.”
Heads of national road safety agencies and officials from more than 80 countries will meet to share knowledge to advance their national road safety strategies and action plans on the eve of the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Marrakech, Morocco, next week.
The Global network of heads of national road safety agencies meeting, co-hosted by WHO and the Global Road Safety Facility at the World Bank, will bring more than 110 officials together in Marrakech on 17 February to discuss the opportunities and challenges lead road safety agencies face in meeting the global goal of halving road deaths as set out in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
“Empowering heads of road safety agencies is key to helping countries reduce road deaths and apply proven solutions. Lead road safety agencies drive national road safety strategies and coordinate across government. The network is here to help them advance that important work,” said Matts-Ake Belin, WHO global lead on the Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Launched after the United Nations High-Level Political Declaration on Global Road Safety in 2022, the WHO-hosted network supports governments in establishing the policies, coordination and actions to ensure safe mobility for all citizens. It fosters collaboration and learning, provides technical support and monitors progress against the Global Plan for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030.
As part of the network, WHO and the Global Road Safety Facility at the World Bank have delivered a range of capacity-building initiatives for road safety leaders in the last few years. Occasionally they have partnered with the Swedish Vision Zero Academy, the Indian Institute of Technology and other partners.
Road safety governance is a key theme at the Fourth Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety. A session on governance will leading experts together to examine how different organizational models and governance mechanisms can deliver sustainable, results-driven road safety outcomes.
Aero India 2025, India’s largest airshow and aviation exhibition has officially begun and will last until 14 February at Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bengaluru, India.
The event is scheduled to include aerial demonstrations and static displays from the United States and multiple other countries. U.S. Air Force aircraft scheduled to appear at the event include the C-17 Globemaster III, F-35A Lightning II, B-1B Lancer, and F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The bi-annual event is an opportunity to enhance cooperation within the Indo-Pacific region, while providing the U.S. a forum to showcase its defense capabilities while strengthening alliances and partnerships.
Several U.S. Department of Defense key leaders are scheduled to attend the event including Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Commander of Pacific Air Forces, General Kevin Schneider and Commander of Air Combat Command, General Kenneth Wilsbach.
“Aero India 2025 is an ideal forum to showcase U.S. defense aircraft and equipment and ultimately contribute toward our compatibility and interoperability with other nations,” said Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces. “The growth in Indian and U.S. bilateral defense trade has corresponded with growing interoperability through information sharing, liaison officers, training exercises, and defense enabling agreements. The importance of our partnership continues to grow, particularly as we face an increasingly complex and dynamic security environment in the Indo-Pacific.”
Participating leaders are expected to discuss topics such as increased security cooperation and promoting regional stability. The DoD aims to reinforce the U.S. – India defense partnership by strengthening military-to-military ties, and participation in this event is one of many continued efforts towards maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific for all.
India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the world stands fractious, polarized and frustrated amid war, unfair trade practices, climate change and food and health insecurity. Trust has eroded, processes have broken down and countries have extracted more from the international system than they have put in it, enfeebling it along the way.
“Conversations have become difficult, agreements even more so,” he said. “This is surely not what the founders of the UN would have wanted for us. Reforming multilateralism is, therefore, an imperative.”
The General Assembly must ask itself “how has this come to pass?” he said.
“Every change must begin somewhere, and there is no better place than where it started,” he continued.
“We, the Members of the United Nations, must now seriously and purposefully address ourselves to that task. If we carry on like this, the state of the world is only going to get worse, and that could mean that more of us are going to be left behind.
For its part, India has sought to respond in a variety of ways, including targeted policies and initiatives focused on issues of the vulnerable, women, farmers and youth, from assured access to piped water, electricity, cooking gas and new homes to financial support for food producers.
India has also expanded employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, created digital infrastructure for public services and convened three Global South summits while also responding to pressing needs in 78 nations.
“In these troubled times, it is necessary to provide hope and rekindle optimism,” he said.
“When India lands on the moon, rolls out its own 5G stack, dispatches vaccines worldwide, embraces fin-tech or houses so many Global Capability Centres, there is a message here. Our quest for a Viksit Bharat, or developed India, will understandably be followed closely.”
However, challenges persist, he said, underscoring that many countries get left behind due to circumstances beyond their control. But some make conscious choices with disastrous consequences, with one example being neighbouring Pakistan, “a dysfunctional nation coveting the lands of others”. As such, he stressed, “Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism policy will never succeed.”
When it comes to deciding on key issues, large parts of the world cannot be left behind, he said, emphasising that an effective, efficient UN must be more representative and fit for purpose.
“Let us, therefore, send out a clear message from this UN General Assembly session: we are determined not to be left behind,” he said. “By coming together, sharing experiences, pooling resources and strengthening our resolve, we can change the world for the better.”
The Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil, will be the global focus of efforts to tackle the climate crisis in November 2025, when it hosts one of the most significant UN climate conferences in recent years.
However, throughout the years there will be plenty of opportunities to make important progress on several climate-related issues, from the staggering levels of plastic pollution to financing the shift to a cleaner global economy.
1 Can we keep 1.5 alive?
“Keep 1.5 alive” has been the UN’s rallying cry for a number of years, a reference to the goal of ensuring that average global temperatures don’t soar beyond 1.5 degrees higher than pre-industrial levels. The scientific consensus is that a lack of action would have catastrophic consequences, not least for the so-called “frontline States”, such as developing island nations which could disappear under the ocean, as sea levels rise.
A man fishes sitting on sandbags which protect the Pacific Ocean island nation Tuvalu against sea erosion.
At COP30, the UN climate conference scheduled to take place between 10 and 21 November 2025, mitigation (in other words, actions and policies designed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to rising temperatures) is likely to a key focus.
The nations of the world will arrive with upgraded, more ambitious commitments to lowering greenhouse gases. This is both a recognition that existing pledges are wholly inadequate, in terms of getting temperatures down, and part of the deal that Member States signed up to in 2015 at the Paris COP (nations are expected to “ratchet up” their commitments every five years. The last time this happened was at the 2021 Glasgow COP, delayed by one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
2 Protecting nature
Holding COP30 in the Amazonian rainforest region of Brazil is of symbolic importance. It harks back to the early days of international attempts to protect the environment: the pivotal “Earth Summit”, which led to the establishment of three environmental treaties on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, took place in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
A parrot stands on a tree branch in Maharashtra, India.
The location also highlights the role that nature has to play in the climate crisis. The rainforest is a massive “carbon sink”, a system that sucks up and stores CO2, a greenhouse gas, and prevents it from entering the atmosphere, where it contributes to warming.
Unfortunately, rainforests and other “nature-based solutions” face threats from human development, such as illegal logging which has devastated huge swathes of the region. The UN will continue efforts begun in 2024 to improve the protection of the rainforest and other ecosystems, at biodiversity talks due to be resumed in Rome in February.
3 Who’s going to pay for all this?
Finance has long been a thorny issue in international climate negotiations. Developing countries argue that wealthy nations should contribute far more towards projects and initiatives that will enable them to move away from fossil fuels, and power their economies on clean energy sources. The pushback from the rich countries is that fast-growing economies such as China, which is now the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, should also pay their share.
Activists protest against fossil fuels at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, a breakthrough of sorts was made, with the adoption of an agreement to triple the amount of climate finance paid to developing countries, to $300 billion per year, by 2035. The deal is a definite step forward, but the final sum is far less than the $1.3 trillion that climate experts say these countries need in order to adapt to the crisis.
Expect more progress to be made on financing in 2025, at a summit in Spain at the end of June. The Financing for Development conferences only take place once every 10 years, and next year’s edition is being billed as an opportunity to make radical changes to the international financial architecture. Environmental and climate concerns will be raised, and potential solutions such as green taxation, carbon pricing and subsidies will all be on the table.
Vanuatu often experiences destructive extreme weather, such as typhoons, which are being exacerbated by climate change.
Vanuatu, a Pacific island state particularly vulnerable to the crisis, asked the court for an advisory position, in order to clarify the obligations of States with regard to climate change, and inform any future judicial proceedings.
Over a two-week period, 96 countries and 11 regional organizations took part in public hearings before the Court, including Vanuatu and a group of other Pacific islands States, and major economies including China and the USA.
The ICJ will deliberate for several months before delivering its advisory opinion on the subject. Although this opinion will be non-binding, it is expected to guide future international climate law.
5 Plastic pollution
UN-convened talks on getting to grips with the global epidemic of plastic pollution edged closer to a deal during negotiations in Busan, South Korea.
Some key advances were made during the November 2024 talks – the fifth round of negotiations following the 2022 UN Environment Assembly resolution calling for an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
Agreement on three pivotal areas needs to be ironed: plastic products, including the issue of chemicals; sustainable production and consumption; and financing.
UNDP India
Plastic bottles are collected for recycling in India.
Member States are now charged with finding political solutions to their differences before the resumed session begins, and with landing a final deal that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics and delivers on the growing global momentum to end plastic pollution.
“It is clear that the world still wants and demands an end to plastic pollution,” said UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen. “We need to ensure we craft an instrument that hits the problem hard instead of punching below its potential weight. I call on all Member States to lean in.”
