National and Sub-national Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment and Roadmap for India’s Telecommunications Sector 

India’s telecom sector, contributing ~15% to global GDP, faces rising disaster risks due to its vast infrastructure and geographic vulnerability.  

The CDRI-led study assesses multi-hazard resilience across mountains, plains, and coasts, using GIS mapping and stakeholder consultations. The Disaster Risk and Resilience Assessment Framework (DRRAF) integrates global best practices to guide infrastructure upgrades, policy reforms, and emergency planning.  

Key recommendations include intra-circle roaming awareness, HAPS deployment, SATCOM interoperability, and parametric insurance. India’s telecom landscape includes 1.2B subscribers, 814K towers, and 950M internet users. Vulnerabilities span power logistics, network congestion, and submarine cable delays. State-level initiatives and SOPs support emergency communication.  

A national roadmap proposes structural upgrades, community integration, and resilience indices to ensure continuity and rapid recovery during disasters. 

Key points

Aishwarya Pillai

Lead Specialist

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes. 

Alpana Saha

Director, Partnerships, Governance, and Resource Mobilisation 

Alpana heads institutional partnerships, governance, and resource mobilization at CDRI, advancing cross-sector collaborations that drive resilient infrastructure programming across Member Countries and organizations. With over 25 years of experience spanning international development, global health, and the non-profit sector, she brings deep expertise in fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and delivering strategic change. 

At CDRI, Alpana has been pivotal in forging strategic alliances with governments, international organizations, and philanthropies. She also plays a key role in fortifying institutional systems and board governance mechanisms as the Coalition transitions into an international organization. 

Before joining CDRI, Alpana held senior leadership roles at The George Institute for Global Health, Plan India, WaterAid India, and SOS Children’s Villages, leading institutional fundraising and cultivating strategic partnerships for social impact. 

She holds a Master’s in Finance & Control from Aligarh Muslim University and completed Executive Education at Harvard Business School (CSR India). Her work is driven by a commitment to building enduring, values-based partnerships that accelerate sustainable development outcomes.