Critical infrastructure resilience is a system-level challenge rather than a matter of hardening individual assets. Discuss with reference to telecom networks and disaster risk in India.

Telecommunications is an essential service and a force multiplier for relief, finance and public administration. Its resilience depends on connected systems, not towers alone.

Hazard exposure and interdependence

• The study maps exposure to cyclonic winds, floods, storm surge, landslides and seismic risk across five States.
• Outages can follow power, fibre, backhaul, road-access or generator-fuel failures even when a tower survives.

Resilience strategy

1. Use multi-hazard risk mapping to prioritise retrofitting and redundancy.
2. Provide backup power, diverse fibre routes, interoperable emergency communications and fuel logistics.
3. Integrate DoT, NDMA, State agencies and operators into tested continuity plans.

critical infrastructure; telecom resilience; redundancy; backhaul; multi-hazard mapping; NDMA; business continuity.