The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), has launched a comprehensive report on the Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment Framework (DRRAF), marking a significant step toward strengthening India’s telecom sector against disasters. This report is part of an extensive study on national and sub-national disaster risk and resilience assessment for the telecom sector conducted across five states—Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat. The study focuses on identifying disaster risks and formulating resilience strategies specific to telecom infrastructure. The DoT coordinated efforts with state governments, telecom service providers, and infrastructure providers to facilitate data collection for the study.
During the inaugural session, Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) and Chairman of the Digital Communications Commission (DCC), emphasized that building telecom resilience is a national priority. He reiterated DoT’s commitment to ensuring seamless connectivity before, during, and after disasters, aligning with the UN’s ‘Early Warning for All by 2027’ initiative. He urged coordinated action among government agencies, telecom operators, and disaster management bodies to reinforce India’s telecom infrastructure against natural calamities. Manish Sinha, Member (F), DoT, reflecting on past disaster experiences, underscored the crucial role of telecom networks in post-disaster recovery. He highlighted that technological advancements have significantly improved response capabilities, and the study provides a roadmap for minimizing service disruptions, strengthening infrastructure, and enhancing emergency response mechanisms.
Sanjay Agrawal, DDG (DM), DoT, stressed the importance of inter-ministerial coordination and acknowledged the contributions of LSAs, telecom service providers, infrastructure providers, and industry associations such as DIPA, COAI, and IBF. He also recognized the support of government agencies like NDMA and SDMAs in shaping the study’s findings. CDRI Director General Amit Prothi emphasized the telecom sector’s crucial contribution to India’s GDP and disaster response capabilities, highlighting that resilient telecom networks are vital for economic growth and uninterrupted connectivity. He noted that CDRI’s study presents a scalable model, actionable insights, and global best practices for building disaster-resilient communication networks.
To enhance disaster preparedness and telecom resilience, DoT has been implementing several strategic initiatives, including real-time coordination with LSAs, state governments, and telecom operators for rapid disaster response, the nationwide rollout of an indigenous cell broadcast system for emergency alerts, the deployment of Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) networks in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, and regulatory measures to facilitate quick restoration of telecom services. Additionally, the government is promoting satellite-based communication and High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) to ensure connectivity in disaster-affected regions.
The study assessed disaster risks across 0.77 million telecom towers, mapping hazards such as floods, cyclones, and earthquakes. It developed a disaster risk and resilience index to evaluate infrastructure vulnerability based on disaster intensity, frequency, and impact. The report outlines a series of key recommendations to enhance telecom sector resilience, including strengthening technical planning and infrastructure design to withstand disasters, developing a multi-hazard information repository for data-driven risk management, implementing risk-informed governance policies, introducing risk-sharing instruments to protect telecom operators from financial vulnerabilities, establishing cross-sectoral collaboration frameworks for coordinated disaster response, enhancing financial mechanisms to support resilient telecom infrastructure, promoting last-mile connectivity to ensure information access during emergencies, leveraging digital solutions to improve service restoration efforts, building institutional capacity for emergency preparedness, and implementing precise monitoring systems to maintain service quality and reliability.
These recommendations aim to fortify the telecom sector’s ability to withstand and recover from disasters, ensuring continuous connectivity and rapid service restoration. With DoT’s leadership and collaborative engagement from multiple stakeholders, this roadmap will empower India’s telecom industry to proactively manage disaster risks and enhance nationwide resilience. By integrating resilience principles at the policy and planning level, CDRI aims to mainstream disaster risk reduction in telecom infrastructure development and foster cross-sectoral coordination both in India and globally.
