"Civil-Military cooperation is a must to deal with disaster management especially in insurgency-hit hilly region of Nagaland and North East"

A senior official in Nagaland catering to natural disasters related matters said on Monday, Sept 8th, at Kohima that the civil-military coordination and effective cooperation is must to deal with disaster management. 

Operation Samanvay Shakti 2025 is a 10-day military-civil integration exercise launched by the Indian Army in August 2025, focusing on Assam and Manipur to improve coordination and synergy between the security forces and civil administration in the region. The exercise aims to strengthen cooperation in multiple areas. 

During disaster management works, effective actions in healthcare, and infrastructure development are necessary through practical simulations and refined standard operating procedures. 

Addressing the a seminar 'the Military Civil Fusion 2025' organised by Assam Rifles at Kohima, Rendemo Shitio from NSDMA, Nagaland Home Department, said - the initiatives jointly by army, para military and civil wings of governance will have to 'foster trust and a unified approach' to addressing complex security and development challenges in Nagaland or in northeast India.  

He cited the instance of Operation Samanvay Shakti 2025 as was tried upon in Manipur and Assam in the month of August.

The 10-day military-civil integration exercise launched by the Army focusing on Assam and Manipur seeks to improve coordination and synergy between the security forces and civil administration when it comes to deal with natural disasters. 

He said the number of disasters has increased by a factor of five in the last 50 years driven by climate change. 

At the global level of the 10 top disasters -- 

Droughts claimed - 6,50,000 deaths between 1970 and 2019.

Storms - claiming 5,77, 232 deaths and floods claiming 58,700 deaths.

During the same period - the extreme temperature claimed 55, 736 deaths.  Rendemo called for joint working models saying - 

Typical roles of Civil Agencies for Disaster Response

include • Lead authority & coordination

• Community awareness & preparedness

• Partnerships with NGOs, businesses, academia

And 

Typical roles of Military for Disaster Response

will include • Search & rescue, evacuation, logistics

• Infrastructure repair & security

• Humanitarian aid & relief delivery (Humanitarian aid for Disaster Relief) 10 

"Thus without proper coordination no good results could be expected," he remarked. 

Some of the key natural disaster challenges in Nagaland:

Earthquakes

Landslides  

Soil Erosion  

Floods

Drought-Like Conditions

Forest Fires

Climate change induced extreme weather events

There is a need for resilient infrastructure & joint response, he said and added -- 

"A collaborative strategy to disaster response is the key to effective disaster response. This integrated collaborative approach breaks down  traditional silos, avoid duplication, over lapping, and  confusion, enabling comprehensive coordination across different sectors to  enhance preparedness, improve  

response effectiveness, and build community resilience against  

both natural and man-made  hazards".  

The official listed out that the 'Current Challenges' in disaster management include --

• Different organizational cultures & communication gaps.

• Lack of unified Standard of Operations (SOPs) at local/national levels.

• Overlapping responsibilities  and also Delays in decision making.

 The seminar which was also addressed by former Nagaland CM and ex Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra S C Jamir.

The organisers said the three-day brainstorming session will work to "Improve the efficiency and responsiveness of Security Forces through informed and constructive engagement with civil agencies". 

The Military Civil Fusion Seminar is conceptualised as a strategic  initiative aimed at harmonising the roles and responsibilities of civil  administration and the armed/ security forces. 

The central objective is to  cultivate a unified approach that enhances regional development, fortifies internal security and strengthens inter service trust. 

The seminar will serve as  a collaborative platform to:-  

  

∙ Promote integrated governance and security coordination for holistic  development of Nation.  

∙ Foster mutual trust, awareness and understanding between  stakeholders of military as well as civil establishments.  

∙ Highlight desired prognosis through experience sharing by  distinguished delegates from the government, military, police, academia  and civil society.  

  

Nagaland’s unique socio political landscape, characterized by its complex security environment and development priorities, necessitates an "integrated approach" that bridges military capabilities and civil governance. 

In recent  years, the region has witnessed a gradual shift towards development strategy,  yet persistent challenges such as border management, insurgency and  infrastructure deficits underscore the need for a unified framework. 

One of the officials involved in planning and execution of the programme said - "It is an ideal Fusion...The seminar is actually a workshop and aims to harness collective expertise, drawing  from defence, administration, academia and civil society, to devise context sensitive solutions that address both security imperatives and development aspirations." 

By encouraging shared situation awareness and collaborative planning, the seminar will strengthen institutional interoperability and foster  a resilient ecosystem.

 

ends