Ulaanbaatar: India on Tuesday called for a global shift from responding to droughts after they occur to building long-term drought resilience, with Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav urging countries to treat drought as a predictable and preventable risk rather than a recurring disaster.
Addressing the Ministerial Dialogue on “Accelerating Drought Resilience” at the 17th Conference of Parties (CoP17) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Yadav said drought was “no longer an occasional event, but a defining development challenge” affecting water security, food systems, biodiversity and economic stability.
He said the focus should be on preparedness and prevention rather than emergency response and crisis management.
India outlines technology-led drought preparedness
Yadav said India follows a coordinated approach involving early warning, mitigation, relief and community resilience. Rainfall monitoring and satellite-based drought assessments are used to trigger preparedness measures at inter-ministerial and state levels, helping prevent prolonged dry spells from developing into larger crises.
He also stressed the close relationship between land restoration and water security. Using the phrase “restore the forest, before the flow”, the minister pointed to India’s work on catchment and riverscape forestry to reduce soil erosion, improve water retention and support groundwater recharge.
River rejuvenation and the restoration of traditional water bodies are also being used to strengthen water security and drought resilience in rural areas.
In India’s hill regions, communities are involved in restoring springs and groundwater recharge zones. In the plains, a nationwide watershed programme focuses on degraded rainfed areas through a ridge-to-valley approach, supported by local institutions and convergence with rural employment programmes.
Water security, crop insurance and community participation
At the household level, drinking water programmes seek to maintain reliable supplies during periods of stress, with assured service levels, local water-quality testing and priority given to vulnerable areas.
Yadav also referred to crop insurance as part of India’s drought-resilience framework. The system protects farmers against drought and other non-preventable crop losses across the crop cycle, combining subsidised premiums with technology-based assessments aimed at faster and more transparent settlement of claims.
He said community ownership, capacity building and diversification of livelihoods were central to moving away from reactive drought relief towards a more resilient system.
India calls for stronger global action on drought
Yadav said India’s approach was based on the belief that “drought must be managed as a predictable, preventable risk, and not a recurring disaster demanding emergency response”.
Measures cited by the minister included watershed development, water harvesting, afforestation, groundwater recharge and climate-resilient crops. These are supported, when needed, by disaster-related funds, employment guarantees, fodder assistance and emergency water supplies.
Calling for greater international cooperation, Yadav urged increased investment in ecosystem restoration, stronger early warning systems and better coordination.
“Preparedness over response, prevention over crisis management, resilience over recovery should be the goal,” he said.
He added that drought resilience was a matter of survival for the world’s most vulnerable communities and said India was ready to share its knowledge and capabilities, including experience in early warning systems, to support a drought-resilient future.