IEA and CDRI launch joint study to strengthen resilience of India’s energy infrastructure

As electricity demand rises and risks to energy systems intensify, strengthening the resilience of infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for India’s energy security. To support this effort, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) today convened a stakeholder consultation workshop to inform a joint study of risks facing India’s infrastructure and options to enhance its resilience.

From natural hazards to cybersecurity, energy systems face a growing set of threats. In 2023 alone, the IEA tracked nearly 300 weather-related energy supply disruptions worldwide, affecting more than 210 million households and disrupting business activity. India is particularly exposed to this risk category through extreme heat, cyclones and floods. At the same time, rising electricity demand and accelerating electrification are increasing the importance of reliable and resilient energy systems to support economic growth and energy security.

The joint study deepens cooperation on energy system resilience under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the IEA and CDRI in December 2025 by IEA Deputy Executive Director Mary Burce Warlick and CDRI Director General Amit Prothi. It will examine the risks facing India’s infrastructure and identify options to reduce vulnerabilities and strengthen preparedness across the energy sector.

A workshop was held at the CDRI Headquarters in New Delhi, bringing together 48 participants from across government, civil society organisations and industry, including senior representatives from the Ministry of Power, the Central Electricity Authority, the Meteorological Department of India, and the Embassy of Japan. Participants shared experiences on emerging risks, resilience measures and international best practices, helping to identify priorities for the joint assessment. 

Following opening remarks and high-level addresses, the workshop opened with a presentation by the IEA and CDRI on the proposed scope of the study. Subsequent sessions explored risks to India’s power system, policies and measures to safeguard infrastructure, and the role of implementation, regulation, insurance and finance in supporting resilience.

Ramraj Narasimhan, Senior Director Programme Management & Technical Support, CDRI: “As extreme weather intensifies, ensuring India’s power grid resilience is vital for sustained growth. This CDRI IEA collaboration blends global expertise with local insight to close resilience gaps and secure a climate‑ready energy future.”

Daniel Wetzel, Head of the Tracking Sustainable Transitions Unit at the IEA, said: “Electricity systems globally are growing rapidly at a time when resilience risks are multiplying. This study and the Indian example can be a template of good resilience practices that countries rely on to secure their energy supply.”