BRIDGING FORCES: CME PUNE HOSTS INTEGRATED SYMPOSIUM ON MILITARY-CIVIL SYNERGY IN NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Pune, 3rd July 2025: A high-level symposium titled “Role of Corps of Engineers in National Disaster Management Framework – Risk, Resilience and Response” was held on 03 July 2025 at the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune. The event brought together senior leadership from the Indian Army, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs), and key institutions involved in national disaster preparedness and response framework.

The symposium was steered by Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (Retd), Member, NDMA, and included an address by Shri Rajendra Singh, Member and Head of Department (HoD), NDMA. Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, AVSM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, was the Chief Guest, with Gen Manoj Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd), Former Chief of Army Staff, as the Guest of Honour. The keynote address was delivered by Lt Gen Arvind Walia, AVSM, Engineer-in-Chief, who outlined the Corps’ disaster response capabilities and its evolving role in national resilience.

India’s vulnerability to natural and man-made disasters, ranging from floods and earthquakes to industrial accidents and CBRN threats, necessitates an integrated and responsive disaster management framework. The symposium underscored the critical role of the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers, which often emerges as the nation’s first responder in crises due to its widespread deployment, engineering assets and interoperability with civil authorities.

The symposium concluded with closing remarks by Lt Gen Harpal Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd), who reiterated the importance of synergy between civilian and military actors in disaster preparedness. The vote of thanks was delivered by Lt Gen AK Ramesh, SM, Commandant, CME.

Key takeaways from the event included the need for:

· Integrated command and communication protocols between NDMA, state authorities, and the Armed Forces.

· Investments in training, simulation, and pre-positioned engineering assets across disaster-prone zones.

· Enhancing CBRN readiness through specialized Corps of Engineers units and inter-agency rehearsals.

· Capturing and disseminating lessons learned from past operations to shape doctrine, policies, and training syllabi for future responders.

The symposium marked a significant step in reinforcing India’s national disaster response architecture and reaffirmed the Corps of Engineers’ continued commitment to the motto ‘हर काम देश के नाम’—every task in service of the nation.