Build Back Better framework

Story hook

It is 23 September 2019, New York. The UN Climate Action Summit is in session. PM António Guterres has just appealed for "concrete, realistic plans" to limit warming to 1.5°C. In the plenary hall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rises. After the expected commitments on solar and forests, he proposes something new: a coalition of countries to make infrastructure resilient to disasters and climate change. He names it the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

Within 24 hours, 22 founding members sign on — including UK, Italy, Japan, Australia, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, World Bank, UNDRR, ADB, GFDRR. India commits the HQ in Delhi and the initial $70 million corpus. The Coalition is registered as an international organisation under India's Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in 2020, and the Permanent Mission of CDRI to UN is established in 2022.

The pitch was simple. Global disaster damage to infrastructure has been $390 billion annually by some estimates. Power grids, roads, hospitals, schools, water systems — when these fail in disasters, the cascade kills more than the disaster itself. Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico (2017): power was out for 11 months after; estimated 3,000+ excess deaths linked to infrastructure collapse rather than wind. Kerala 2018: 240 substations submerged. Cyclone Idai, Mozambique 2019: 90% of infrastructure damaged. 2011 Tohoku, Japan: Fukushima power plant failed → nuclear disaster.

CDRI's mandate: promote risk-informed infrastructure investment + build capacity + drive standards. Six years on, 40+ member countries, 6 initiatives, annual conferences (Delhi 2024), and recognition as India's twin climate-DRR flagship along with ISA. This unit covers CDRI's structure, programmes, achievements, and India's broader leadership role in global DM.

Why this matters for UPSC

GS-III examiners have flagged CDRI in recent years (Mains 2020, 2022, 2024). Prelims hits CDRI founding year, HQ, founders, key programmes (IRIS, RBNI, GIFP, CMS, GFP). GS-II tests CDRI as an example of India's leadership in multilateral institutions — alongside ISA, NAM-IBSA-BRICS, G20 2023, SAGAR, IPOI. Knowing CDRI's specifics gives candidates a high-value, low-competition factual arsenal.