Key Points
• The Initiative for the Resilient Island States ( IRIS) initiative is a part of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure that would focus on building capacity, having pilot projects, especially in small island developing states.
• It is aimed at achieving sustainable development through a systematic approach to resilient, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Initiative for the Resilient Island States (IRIS) on sidelines of climate summit COP26 in Glasgow. IRIS was launched for developing infrastructure of small island nations. According to the Prime Minister, the launch gives a new hope, a new confidence and satisfaction of doing something for the most vulnerable countries.

It is aimed at achieving sustainable development through a systematic approach to resilient, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The launch took place on the second day of the World Leaders’ Summit and Modi was joined by his British counterpart Boris Johnson, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and leaders of Mauritius, Fiji and Jamaica on the occasion. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was also present.

The IRIS initiative is a part of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient infrastructure( CDRI) that would focus on building capacity, having pilot projects, especially in small island developing states.

The Prime Minister added that Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will build a special data window for Small Island Developing States to provide them timely information about cyclones, coral-reef monitoring and coast-line monitoring among others through satellite.