This handbook provides insight into India's efforts in disaster management (DM). Since the trauma of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, India’s Central and State Governments have sought to develop stronger DM capacities. Given its geographic and climatic diversity, India is exposed to a variety of hazards that have forced its governments and communities to address risk, adapt to threats, and improve resiliency. Given its domestic experiences of disaster, India has a wealth of knowledge and resources that allow it to offer assistance to its neighbours and to countries further afield that are affected by disasters.
In recognition of the fact that India cannot operate unilaterally in the world and must establish membership, partnership, and even leadership in global bodies, the country has, in recent years, taken up more active roles. Among this engagement, India is a stakeholder in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals (2015- 2030), and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Beyond multi-lateral coordination mechanisms, India continues to develop its military-military partnerships, including with the U.S., that provide opportunities via regular exercises and exchanges to build military disaster response capacity.