- Why in news
- On 15 February 2026, PIB published an explainer on the role of the Indian Armed Forces in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), at home and abroad.
- What it is
- HADR means using military assets such as airlift, ships, field hospitals and engineers to rescue and relieve people when disasters overwhelm civil capacity. Domestically it runs under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as aid to civil authorities. For overseas missions India follows NDMA's International HADR Guidelines, with MEA as the nodal ministry.
- Domestic legal basis
- The Disaster Management Act, 2005 sets up NDMA, SDMAs and district authorities. States carry primary responsibility and the Centre supports.
- Overseas HADR guidelines
- NDMA issued International HADR Guidelines in October 2024. They recognise the Armed Forces as enablers of rapid response.
- Nodal bodies
- MEA is the nodal ministry for overseas HADR. MHA is the nodal ministry for disaster response at home.
- Operation Sagar Bandhu
- Launched on 28 November 2025 to help Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah, including a Bailey Bridge in Kilinochchi.
- Tiger Triumph 2025
- Fourth edition of the India-US tri-service HADR exercise, held 1-11 April 2025.
Don’t confuse with NDMA vs NDRF: NDMA is the apex policy body that frames guidelines. NDRF is the specialised response force deployed on the ground.
Don’t confuse with Operation Samudra Setu vs Operation Ganga: Samudra Setu was a naval sea evacuation during Covid-19 in 2020. Operation Ganga evacuated Indians from Ukraine in 2022, mainly by flights.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- Armed forces add speed, logistics and reach when civil capacity is overwhelmed.
- Overseas HADR supports India's image as a first responder in the Indian Ocean Region and its Neighbourhood First policy.
Problems
- Diverting troops from core defence duties and risking over-reliance on the military in routine disasters.
- Coordination gaps among MHA, MEA, NDMA, states and the forces.
Way forward
- Regular joint exercises and clear standard procedures among agencies.
- Build up state and district response capacity so the military is called only for extreme events.
Put in your answer
Army relief in 2025: In 2025 the Army deployed 141 columns and rescued 28,293 civilians.
Sendai Framework: The approach aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).
- 2015Mains GS4 · Q12Ethics case: managing rescue and relief after a devastating cloudburst-triggered disaster in a hill state.
- 2020Mains GS3 · Q18Discuss recent Indian disaster management measures shifting from reactive to proactive approach.
- 2019Mains GS4 · Q7Ethics case: leading rescue operations amid disruption, anger, and assault on team.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting topic on the syllabus, but mostly operation names and figures. Defence reaches Mains rarely (3 of 161 news-set questions), so no question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.