North Eastern States and IIT Guwahati Participate in Second Training Program in Japan on Disaster Risk Reduction

Guwahati, 26 May 2025: 13 delegates from India participated in Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA’s) country focused training project titled “Enhancing Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building Capacities of North Eastern States of India” in Japan from 12^th to 23^rd May. This was the second batch of training during the three year project, which included officials from State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in North Eastern States, the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) and other concerned departments.

India’s North Eastern Region is prone to face disasters, such as floods, landslides and earthquakes, which could lead a huge socio-economic damages to the region. The three year JICA project is implemented from 2024 to 2026 and aims to enhance the capacity of the Centre for Disaster Management and Research (CDMR) at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati as a training hub in the region, to tailor effective training curriculum which will enrich SDMA officials with knowledge and skills necessary to implement disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures and enhance resilience across the region.

This year’s training program focused on flood and landslide challenges. During the program, the participants attended lectures and visited several disaster risk management sites across Japan. These include flood prevention and embankment projects along the Chikuma River in Nagano Prefecture and Tsurumi River in Kanagawa Prefecture, landslide countermeasure sites in Gunma Prefecture and Tochigi Prefecture, and a wide-range of Japanese technologies and products of private companies such as hazard mapping, reinforced infrastructure and early warning system. These experiences aim to deepen understanding of Japanese DRR systems and plans and support CDMR to develop the training plans and Action Plans of the participants.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India stated, “The training program reflects the strong partnership between Japan and India, and our shared commitment to building resilient communities in the North Eastern Region. We hope the knowledge gained in Japan will not only strengthen disaster risk management at the state level, but also empower CDMR-Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati to serve as a hub for capacity development and regional collaboration in the region .”

Following Prime Minister Modi’s call in 2020 for a Centre dedicated to disaster risk reduction in the Northeast, IITG established the CDMR, which is now envisioned to become a regional hub for training and knowledge dissemination. In December 2025, CDMR is scheduled to conduct a demonstration lecture for SDMA officials in the Northeastern Region under the supervision of JICA experts. The training curriculum will be reviewed and adapted to reflect region-specific challenges and needs.

Aligned with its strategic vision for the North East Region, the Government of Japan places high priority on supporting the development of the region, complementing the Government of India’s initiatives. Through this collaboration, both governments aim to foster regional resilience and sustainable development by investing in human capacity, knowledge sharing, and institutional strengthening.