DRR: Swiss–Indian Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) works closely with India’s national and state institutions to enhance disaster preparedness, strengthen resilience, and protect vulnerable communities, particularly in the Himalayan region.
SDC supports the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Himalayan state institutions to manage climate‑induced risks, such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), floods, and landslides. A major milestone of this cooperation was the publication of India’s first national guidelines for the management of GLOFs, which significantly strengthen local and national capacity to anticipate and respond to these hazards.
The cooperation program builds on the 2003 Disaster Cooperation Framework Agreement between Switzerland and India. From 2008 to 2017, SDC partnered with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and NDMA to strengthen Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) capabilities, covering leadership and operational management, specialized training in search, medical, logistics, and canine operations, as well as the design of advanced training facilities. Today, SDC continues this support by helping the NDRF achieve INSARAG international classification, positioning India’s USAR teams among globally recognized disaster response forces.
As part of this partnership, SDC maintains a rapid response mechanism to support India in times of crisis. Through its regional rapid response advisor in New Delhi and expert teams from Switzerland, SDC can mobilize emergency assistance quickly, including technical expertise, life‑saving equipment, or financial support. This joint Swiss Indian capacity ensures that when a major disaster occurs, both partners can act swiftly to save lives, reduce suffering, and protect the most affected communities.