Resilient infrastructure prevents disasters, says PM
Modi meets prime ministers of Iceland, Norway and Sweden, discusses bilateral relations ahead of the India-nordic Summit in Copenhagen
Stating the need to keep people at the heart of any infrastructure growth story and providing them with high quality, dependable, and sustainable services in an equitable manner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that resilient infrastructure can prevent disasters not only for this generation but for many future generations.
“Infrastructure is not just about creating capital assets and generating long-term return on investment. It is not about the numbers. It is not about the money. It is about people. It is about providing them high quality, dependable, and sustainable services in an equitable manner. People must be at the heart of any infrastructure growth story. And, that is exactly what we in India are doing,” he said in his pre-recorded address at the inaugural session of the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.
The conference is being held jointly with the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
About a “Resilient Infrastructure Transition,” which is the primary focus of the conference being held in Delhi, Modi asserted: “Resilient infrastructure can also be the centerpiece of our wider adaptation efforts. If we make infrastructure resilient, we prevent disasters not only for ourselves but for many future generations.”
The inaugural session of the ICDRI 2022 witnessed the heads of government from CDRI member countries share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges to build climate and disaster resilience in transitioning infrastructure systems.
Australian Prime Minister Scot Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina also spoke on the occasion through video addresses.
Modi on Wednesday met Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, and green hydrogen.
Modi and Andersson reviewed the progress made in the bilateral partnership.
They world’s heaviest greenhouse gas also expressed satisfaction at the progress made by the Lead IT initiative - an India-sweden joint global initiative to set up a Leadership Group on Industry Transition (Leadit) in September 2019 at the UN Climate Action Summit to help guide theghg) emiting industries towards the low-carbon economy. Its membership has now grown to 35 with 16 countries and 19 companies.
Both leaders also discussed possibilities of deepening cooperation in areas like innovation, climate technology, climate action, green hydrogen, space, defence, civil aviation, Arctic, polar research, sustainable mining and trade and economic ties.
Discussions also took place on regional and global developments.
Modi also met Iceland Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdotir in Copenhagen and discussed strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.
Modi and Jakobsdotir discussed ways to further strengthen economic cooperation especially in the sectors of geothermal energy, Blue Economy, Arctic, renewable energy, fisheries, food processing, education including digital universities, and culture.
Geothermal energy, in particular, is an area where Iceland has special expertise, and both sides stessed on collaboration between universities of both countries in this sector.
Modi lauded Jakobsdotir’s personal efforts at promoting gender equality and briefed her on India’s advances in this regard.
Discussions also took place on expediting the INDIA-EFTA trade negotiations. They also held discussions on regional and global developments.
Modi met his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Store in Copenhagen on Wednesday and reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said, “Both prime ministers reviewed the ongoing activities in bilateral relations and discussed future areas of cooperation.” Modi highlighted that Norway’s skills and India’s scope provided natural complementarities.