Collaborative Discussions in the Indian Himalayas: Cross-Border Obstacles and Resilience Strategies
The 2025 Lehende-Khola flood served as a stark reminder of the absence of a China-Nepal-India Cryosphere Alert Protocol, highlighting the need for enhanced regional cooperation in mitigating Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risks. In response, India has taken significant strides in implementing proactive measures, led by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP).
Current strategies in India and the broader Hindu-Kush Himalayan region focus on proactive risk reduction through various means. These include hazard mapping and risk assessment, early warning systems, community preparedness and resilience, engineering controls, climate adaptation efforts, and the development of multi-hazard risk platforms.
The NGRMP, a $20 million project, targets 195 high-risk glacial lakes for hazard assessment and mitigation measures. Key initiatives under this programme include detailed mapping and monitoring of glacial lakes using satellite imagery and field surveys, the development and deployment of real-time monitoring and community-level warning systems, training local communities in disaster preparedness and evacuation procedures, and the implementation of selective engineering interventions where feasible.
Climate resilience is being incorporated into infrastructure planning and disaster management frameworks to address ongoing glacier melt and changes in hydrology. Efforts are also underway to develop web-based platforms that combine topographical, hazard frequency, and population data to inform land-use planning and infrastructure design decisions aimed at minimizing risk cost-effectively.
However, the increasing frequency and intensity of GLOF events driven by climate change underscore the need for continuous enhancement in monitoring technologies, financing, and regional cooperation to reduce the catastrophic impact effectively. The 2023 South Lhonak Lake GLOF disaster in Sikkim, which caused catastrophic damage and loss of life, serves as a stark reminder that despite existing measures, sudden slope failures and moraine instability triggered by climate change and glacier retreat still pose severe risks.
Cost-effectiveness is a concern, as direct structural interventions to stabilize or drain lakes are often impractical or too expensive across the scale of hazards in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya. Therefore, strengthening non-structural measures such as risk-informed land use and community-based early warning remains critical. The integration of nature-based solutions like using bamboo and timber in hazard mitigation is being explored to reduce economic and human risks while leveraging local materials and knowledge.
India's Indus Treaty experience offers a template for a tri-national early-warning compact with reciprocal data feeds and joint drills. Sikkim has mandated high-altitude Early Warning Systems (EWS) in its Disaster Management Act 2024, and there are 28,043 glacial lakes mapped across the Indian Himalayan River Basins. However, fewer than 40 functional hydromet stations exist above 4,500 m across 2,400 km of the Himalaya, creating monitoring blind-spots.
In conclusion, India and the broader region have established multi-pronged, proactive strategies addressing GLOF risk through institutional programs, hazard mapping, early warnings, community engagement, and selective engineering. However, the increasing frequency and intensity of GLOF events driven by climate change underline the need for continuous enhancement in monitoring technologies, financing, and regional cooperation to reduce the catastrophic impact effectively. The development of a China-Nepal-India Cryosphere Alert Protocol, for instance, could play a crucial role in this endeavour.
- The development of a China-Nepal-India Cryosphere Alert Protocol could be a key contribution to the broader health-and-wellness of the region, as it would help increase regional cooperation to mitigate Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risks and reduce the catastrophic impact of these events.
- The science of space-and-astronomy plays a crucial role in the management of medical-conditions related to the environment, as satellite imagery and field surveys are used to map and monitor high-risk glacial lakes for hazard assessment and mitigation measures, supporting healthier communities in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region.
- To promote a sustainable mains supply and ensure the longevity of our resources, India is integrating climate resilience into infrastructure planning and disaster management frameworks, using nature-based solutions like bamboo and timber in hazard mitigation, which helps preserve the environment and reduce economic and human risks.
