How is climate change impacting India's natural disaster landscape?

Climate change is intensifying and reshaping natural hazards in India, making them more unpredictable and posing serious challenges to the country's disaster preparedness efforts.

What are the key gaps in India's early warning systems?

India faces significant challenges in forecasting thunderstorms, lightning, and extreme rainfall events, which continue to cause substantial loss of life and property. Coverage of early warning systems for flash floods and heat waves also lags behind.

How is the Indian government responding to the growing climate risks?

The Indian government has launched initiatives like Mission Mausam to strengthen its weather observation network, forecasting accuracy, and last-mile communication. However, experts warn that more needs to be done to address the technical, institutional, and communication gaps in the country's disaster warning systems.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / India Races to Upgrade Disaster Warning Systems as Climate Risks Escalate

India Races to Upgrade Disaster Warning Systems as Climate Risks Escalate

10 Nov

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Summary

India faces a wide array of weather-related natural hazards, from cyclones to heat waves
Progress in early warning systems has been uneven, with gaps in coverage and communication
Climate change is intensifying and reshaping these hazards, making them more unpredictable

India Races to Upgrade Disaster Warning Systems as Climate Risks Escalate

As of November 2025, India finds itself at the forefront of a growing battle against the intensifying impacts of climate change. The country's diverse geography and vulnerability to a wide array of weather-related natural hazards, from cyclones and floods to thunderstorms and heat waves, have placed it squarely in the path of these escalating threats.

In recent years, India's meteorological agencies have made notable progress in improving early warning systems, particularly for cyclones and heavy rainfall. However, this progress has been uneven, with significant gaps remaining in the coverage and communication of these systems, especially for hazards like thunderstorms, lightning, and flash floods.