India and Russia Strengthen Ties in Emergency Management Cooperation
The Second Meeting of the Joint Russian-Indian Commission on Cooperation in the Field of Emergency Management was held in Moscow, Russia, on August 28, 2024. Led by Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs, India, the Indian delegation engaged in productive discussions with their Russian counterparts, resulting in a signed working plan for 2025-2026.
The meeting aimed to implement previous agreements, including the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for cooperation in emergency management (2010) and the Regulation to establish the Indo-Russian Joint Commission for Cooperation (2013). Three key issues were addressed:
Utilizing space monitoring technologies for risk forecasting and emergency response.
Exchanging experiences in responding to large-scale disasters.
Cooperating in training fire and rescue specialists.
The Indian and Russian delegations agreed to:
Intensify joint efforts in emergency management cooperation.
Exchange best practices in disaster monitoring, forecasting, and training.
Extend cooperation between educational and research institutions.
Conduct the next meeting in India in 2026.
This working plan will enhance bilateral efforts, upgrading early warning systems and capacity building in emergency preparedness, prevention, response, and planning. Nityanand Rai reaffirmed India’s commitment to the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 10-point agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Indian delegation included Vinay Kumar, Ambassador of India to Russia, and senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority.