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Western Command and NDMA conclude disaster management conclave at Chandimandir

The high-level event brought together senior military officials, NDMA policymakers, state disaster management representatives, and academic and technical experts to foster greater civil-military synergy and integrate advanced technologies into national disaster governance.

3 min readChandimandirUpdated: Jan 28, 2026 09:35 PM IST

The conclave concluded with the identification of concrete action points for 2026. (Credit: X/@westerncomd_IA)

The Headquarters Western Command, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), concluded the Western Command Disaster Management Conclave on Disaster Risk Resilience on Wednesday, strengthening the country’s disaster preparedness and shifting from reactive response to proactive resilience.

The high-level event brought together senior military officials, NDMA policymakers, state disaster management representatives, and academic and technical experts to foster greater civil-military synergy and integrate advanced technologies into national disaster governance, according to a Western Command statement.

The conclave opened with a series of key addresses, outlining the vision for a more robust national safety framework. Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), Member of NDMA, delivered the opening address, followed by a keynote from Rajendra Singh, Member and Head of Department, NDMA.

Delivering a plenary address, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, reiterated the Indian Army’s role as the “preferred responder” in extreme crisis situations.

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Discussions focused heavily on military-civil fusion, with Manish Bharadwaj, Secretary, NDMA, and Lt Gen Ajay Chandpuria, General Officer Commanding 11 Corps, exploring ways to harmonise protocols and maximise the critical “Golden Hour” in relief operations.

The technical sessions highlighted innovation and lessons from recent disasters. Dr Kala Venkat Udhay from IIT Mandi presented advancements in remote sensing and landslide early warning systems. Mohammad Afzal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Power, spoke about reducing vulnerabilities in hydroelectric river basins. Commandant Santosh Kumar of the 7th Battalion NDRF shared operational insights and challenges from the 2025 floods and proposed solutions to improve resource mobilisation for future urban and rural flooding scenarios.

A dedicated panel discussion featuring KK Pant, Additional Chief Secretary, Himachal Pradesh, Snober Jamil from the State Disaster Management Authority, Jammu & Kashmir, and Mohsen Shahidi, DIG Operations, HQ NDRF, examined gaps in state-level frameworks and the game-changing potential of artificial intelligence in disaster management.

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Meanwhile, an interactive exhibition showcased the country’s growing indigenous disaster response capabilities, such as AI-integrated next-generation early warning systems, satellite-linked communication modules resilient to network failures, high-altitude rescue equipment, CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) protection suits, advanced medical trauma kits, and community outreach programs aimed at turning local populations into the first line of defence.

The conclave concluded with the identification of concrete action points for 2026, including the development of joint training calendars and a unified command structure to enhance inter-agency coordination.

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