Indian delegation studies Russian Crisis Management Center

MOSCOW (Itar-Tass) - A delegation from the Indian Ministry of
Home Affairs is studying the experience of the Russian Ministry of
Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) in the creation of the Crisis Management
Center (CMC).
According to an official at the EMERCOM's information department,
EMERCOM head Sergei Shoigu met with a delegation of the Indian Home
Ministry led by Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram on Wednesday. "The
delegation arrived in Russia to study experience of Russia's EMERCOM and
particularly, to see the National Crisis Management Center in action," the
official said.
Chidambaram said India was vulnerable to various natural emergencies,
such as floods, cyclones and landslides. A number of regions suffer from
drought, and 12 percent of India's territory is prone to flooding.
Mrs. Chidambaram said in this connection the Indian leadership had
decided to create a national CMC to accumulate information on emergency
situations. That is the reason for their visit to Russia to study EMERCOM'
s experience, he said.
He also briefed Russian counterparts on India's emergency situations
warning and reaction system and the volunteer movement.
Shoigu said Russia and India had cooperated in the sphere of emergency
situations warning for a long period of time. In particular, the two
ministries inked a memorandum on cooperation and in 2010 the two sides
made a decision to sign an agreement on bilateral interaction during
natural and technogenic disasters.
"EMERCOM's head also believes there should be set up a commission to
monitor the process of implementing this agreement," the official said.
Shoigu also briefed the Indian delegation on the Russian emergency
situations warning system, the elimination of their consequences and the
capabilities of the National Crisis Management Center.
"The two sides expressed their intention to maintain bilateral
cooperation," EMERCOM official said.