Tuba Athar
Policy Update
Background
India is prone to earthquakes due to its position at the intersection of multiple tectonic plates, including the Indian, Eurasian, and Burma plates. The ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian Plates, responsible for the formation of the Himalayas, makes northern and northeastern India highly vulnerable to seismic activity. Moreover, Intraplate earthquakes such as in the Koyna region of Maharashtra, are also common.
Earthquakes in India majorly fall under the high frequency category, reaching beyond 8.0. The north-eastern zone and the Himalayan ranges are highly prone to great earthquakes that reach a magnitude of 8.0. Moreover, the count of moderate earthquakes is comparatively low. In India, earthquake-related policies and administration come under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). The mandate of the Ministry is to provide services for weather, climate, ocean and coastal state, hydrology, seismology, and natural hazards; to explore marine living and nonliving resources in a sustainable way, and to explore the three polar regions (Arctic, Antarctic, and Himalayas).
To achieve this mandate, the research & development and operational activities of MoES are carried out under the following five major programs: ACROSS, OSTORMS, PACER, SAGE, and REACHOUT. They commonly come under the overarching scheme “PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI)”. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) and the National Centre for Earth Sciences Studies (NCESS) implement the SAGE sub-scheme.
The objectives include:
1. To carry out research in frontier areas of seismology and geosciences.
2. Monitoring earthquake activity in and around the country on a 24/7 basis and preparing earthquake hazard-related products for selected cities in India.
3. Deep Borehole Observatory for directly measuring the in-situ physical properties of rocks, pore fluid pressure, hydrology parameters, temperature, and other parameters of an intra-plate, active fault zone in the near–field of an earthquake before, during, and after their occurrence.
4. Investigations related to the origin of the largest geoidal low on Earth through systematic scientific observations.
5. Modelling of crustal, coastal, geohydrological, and atmospheric processes to assess wave climate, hydrodynamic, and sediment transport along certain selected coastal stretches of the west coast of India to understand the impact of coastal structures.
6. Generation of high-quality geochronological data and its characterization for dating of geologically youngest and oldest formations/rocks/sediments in the Earth’s history, and provide an improved and quantitative understanding of the evolution of the Indian lithosphere.
Functioning
Under the Seismology and Geosciences (SAGE) scheme of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), several important programmes and activities are under implementation by MoES with its network of institutions.
1. Seismological Monitoring and Microzonation
NCS maintains a round-the-clock watch of seismic activity in the country. A Central Receiving Station (CRS) at NCS receives real-time digital waveform data from field stations. This data is used to determine preliminary earthquake source parameters. Whenever an earthquake occurs in the country, its information is immediately disseminated to various user agencies, including disaster management authorities. NCS shares this information via earthquake bulletins within five minutes of an earthquake. It is also involved in the monitoring of aftershock and swarm activity if it occurs throughout the country.
2. Geodynamics and Surface Processes
This program addresses the modelling of crustal, coastal, geohydrological, and atmospheric processes to assess wave climate, hydrodynamic, and sediment transport along selected stretches of the Indian west coast. It aims to understand the impact of coastal structures. Research under this programme is categorised into four themes: crude processes, coastal processes, natural resources and environmental management, and natural hazards.
3. Indian Ocean: Deep Ocean Observations and Dynamics of Lithospheric Evolution (IODP and Geoid Low)
The MoES joined the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) consortium in 2009 as an Associate Member with the National Space Foundation, USA, through an MoU. Since joining the IODP consortium, Indian scientists have been participating in IODP expeditions each year for scientific research in different facets of scientific drilling in various geological settings around the world.
4. Scientific Deep Drilling in the Koyna Intra-Plate Seismic Zone, Maharashtra
A programme on scientific deep drilling in the Koyna intra-plate seismic zone, Maharashtra, has been launched by MoES to understand the mechanism of recurrent earthquakes in the Koyna region, which is one of the few intra-plate deep-drilling observatories globally. A unique approach has been adopted to address this question. Deep boreholes are drilled to the depth at which earthquakes originate.
Then a deep borehole observatory was set up, which facilitated direct observations of physical and mechanical properties of rocks, pore fluid pressure, temperature, and other parameters of an intra-plate, active, fault zone in the near-field of earthquakes–before, during, and after their occurrence. It would provide valuable information to address the issue of frequent earthquakes in the Koyna region. Some of the work has been done, and some is left.
5. Seismicity and Earthquake Precursors
It is a research-driven programme with the perspective of providing impetus to studies related to seismology, which provides thrust to earthquake‐related studies and generates inputs for earthquake disaster mitigation. It aims to create long‐term and comprehensive multi‐parametric geophysical observations in seismically active areas, towards establishing possible relationships between earthquake precursory phenomena and the earthquake generation processes.
6. Setting Up a Facility for Geochronology
High precision isotopic measurements require equally sophisticated instrumentation and laboratory infrastructure. India is in the process of developing such facilities. MoES has set up an ageochronology facility at the Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, to cater to the needs of country geoscientists. The geochronology facility has the mandate of developing an internationally competitive centre for geochronology and isotope geochemistry that will facilitate the generation of quality isotopic data for geochronological and isotopic fingerprinting.
Performance and Impact
On 5 January 2024, the Union Cabinet approved the overarching scheme “PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI)” of the Ministry of Earth Sciences for implementation during the period 2021-26 at an overall cost of Rs. 4797 crores.
According to the Annual Report of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (2023-24), some of the achievements of the scheme were:
1. The National Seismological Network (NSN), consisting of 158 observatories, continues to operate successfully. It disseminates earthquake information quickly after the occurrence to all concerned agencies and stakeholders through social media, even to neighbouring countries. Presently, NSN can detect every earthquake of magnitude 3.0 and above nationwide, while for Delhi NCR and North East India, even below 3.0.
2. In its 1-phase seismic zonation of 4 cities, viz. Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Coimbatore, and Mangalore have been completed, which are vital for urban planning and designing structures for an earthquake-resilient society.
3. Under IODP, Indian scientists participated in expeditions like IODP-398, IODP-395, IODP-389, AND IODP-40,0 which focused on studying the interior of the Earth and glaciated margins in places like Iceland, Hawaii, Greenland, etc.
The Annual Report of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (2024-25) also mentions significant achievements under the scheme.
1. The significant earthquakes reported in 2024 were the Afghanistan, Ladakh, Chamba, and Telangana earthquakes. Monthly seismological bulletins containing phase data and the processed information on the source parameters of all earthquakes located by the seismological network are prepared and published.
2. Field testing and soil laboratory investigations on multi-parametric observations on geophysical and geotechnical characterizations were completed for eight cities, viz. Agra, Knapur, Patna, Amritsar, Dhanbad, Varanasi, Lucknow, Meerut, for microzonation, whose report will be published.
3. A study on the southwestern Delhi-NCR’s seismotectonic framework was carried out to identify new faults and their implications for seismic hazard assessment.
4. A field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) laboratory was installed to study mineral composition and deformation features in the Koyna region.
5. Flood risk zone mapping and future projections for the Thamirabarani river basin have been done based on decadal rainfall trends. Moreover, using GIS-based modeling of the southwestern Ghats River Basin of Kerala, dynamic analysis of soil erosion and sediment yield engrossment involving rainfall, land use, and land cover impacts.
Issues and Limitations
1. Data Silos and Fragmentation: Seismological data is often dispersed across different agencies (IMD, GSI, NRSC, IITs, etc.), which hinders collaborative analysis and response.
2. Insufficient Local-Scale Monitoring: Seismic stations are unevenly distributed, with sparse coverage in many seismically active or vulnerable regions paving to compromising local-level preparedness. Moreover, Urban seismic microzonation is still limited to a few cities.
3. Low Public Awareness and Policy Integration: SAGE’s outcomes are not well-integrated into urban planning or disaster management protocols, so the efforts could not be leveraged optimally.
4. Infrastructure and Maintenance Gaps: Existing seismic observatories often face equipment downtime, poor maintenance, or outdated software, where delays in fund disbursement and procurement further affect research timeliness.
5. Limited International Collaboration: India has under-leveraged its potential in global partnerships (e.g., with USGS, Japan, etc.), which may risk limited exposure to advanced forecasting models or datasets.
Way forward
Keeping in mind the above-mentioned issues, there could be some solutions that may make the scheme more efficient. For example, collaborating with IITs and IISERs for hands-on modules; moreover, launching fellowships and field-internships for students is seismology and geosciences. Prioritizing Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, Himalayan states, and northeastern India for new stations, investing in AI-based early warning systems and real-time data analytics, and mandating seismic risk assessments in smart city, housing, and infrastructure policies.
Additionally, encourage collaboration between MoES, NDMA, NIDM, and State Disaster Authorities for a holistic approach. Moreover, promoting research exchanges and joint projects with Japan, the US, and EU-based geoscience institutions.
If India envisages making its cities as well as other areas resilient in terms of earthquakes, then it needs to work on the above suggestion so that our invaluable life and infrastructure can be saved. India could also learn from two advanced countries like the USA and Japan, which are also very much prone to earthquakes, but have efficient strategies to deal with them.
For example, in the USA, they use a bottom-up approach, giving a large amount of freedom to local governments to address this risk. Japan spreads responsibility through a directive approach, with the central government taking care of mitigation and parts of recovery, leaving the rest to be sorted out by the prefectures and local governments. India could also equip its local bodies to deal with the disaster so that early response, mitigation strategies, and post-disaster relief could be procured easily.
References
- Press Information Bureau. (2017, August 2). Progress in Earth Sciences. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1498200
- Ministry of Earth Sciences. (2025, July 8). PRITHVI. Government of India. https://moes.gov.in
- Ministry of Earth Sciences. (2025, July 8). SAGE. Government of India. https://moes.gov.in
- India Science, Technology & Innovation – ISTI Portal. (2025, July 8). Seismology and Geosciences (SAGE). https://www.indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in
- Press Information Bureau. (2014, February 7). PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI) Scheme [Press release]. https://www.pib.gov.in
- Ministry of Earth Sciences. (2025). Annual report 2024–25. Government of India. https://www.moes.gov.in/sites/default/files/AR-2024-Eng.pdf
- Ministry of Earth Sciences. (2024). Annual report 2023–24. Government of India. https://www.moes.gov.in/sites/default/files/Annual-Report-English-2023-2024_12mp.pdf
- (2025, July 12). Seismic zones of India: Earthquake-prone areas with PDF map.
- (2025, July 12). Earthquake zones in India: List of seismic zones in India.
- Greer, A. (2012). Earthquake preparedness and response: Comparison of the United States and Japan. Leadership and Management in Engineering, 12(3), 111–125. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)LM.1943-5630.0000182
About the Contributor
Tuba Athar is a research intern at IMPRI. She is pursuing a PhD from the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Acknowledgement
The author sincerely thanks Aasthaba Jadeja and other IMPRI fellows for their valuable contribution.
Disclaimer
All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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