 Namaskar. Excellencies, heads of state, academics, business leaders, policymakers, and my dear friends from all over the world. My greetings to everyone. Welcome to India. First of all, I would like to congratulate the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. The occasion of the fifth edition of this International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, ICDRI 2023, is indeed a special one. Friends, the CDRI arose from a global vision. In a closely connected world, the impact of disasters will not just be local. Disaster, in one region, can have a big impact on a completely different region. Therefore, our response has to be integrated, not isolated. Friends, in just a few years, over 40 countries have become part of the CDRI. This conference is becoming an important platform. Advance economies and developing economies. Large and small countries, the global north and the global south, are coming together at this forum. It is also encouraging that it is not just governments that are involved. Global institutions, domain experts, and the private sector also play a role. Friends, as we discuss infrastructure, some priorities have to be remembered. The CDRI's theme for this year's conference is reach related to delivering resilient and inclusive infrastructure. Infrastructure is not only about returns, but also about reach and resilience. Infrastructure must leave none behind and serve the people even during time of crisis. Further, a holistic view of infrastructure is needed. Social and digital infrastructure are as important as transport infrastructure. Friends, being disasters, it is natural that our hearts go out to those who are suffering. Relief and rescue take priority and rightly so. Resilience is about how quickly systems can ensure the return of normal life. Resilience is built in the times between one disaster and another. Studying past disasters and learning lessons from them is the way. This is where the CDRI and this conference play a key role. Friends, each nation and region faces disasters of different kinds. Society evolve local knowledge related to infrastructure that can withstand disasters. While modernizing infrastructure, such knowledge needs to be used intelligently. Modern technology with local insights can be great for resilience. Further, if documented well, local knowledge may become a global base practice. Friends, some of the initiatives of the CDRI are already showing its inclusive intent. The Infrastructure for Resilient Island State Initiative for IRIS benefits many island nations. These islands may be small, but every human living in them matters to us. Just last year, the Infrastructure Resilient Accelerator Fund was announced. This $50 million fund has generated immense interest among developing nations. The commitment of financial resources is key to the success of initiatives. Friends, recent disasters have reminded us of the scale of challenges we face. Let me give you a few examples. We had heat waves across India and Europe. Many island nations were harmed by earthquakes, cyclones, and volcanoes. Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria caused great loss of lives and property. Your work is becoming more relevant. There are great expectations from the CDRI. Friends, this year, India is also bringing the world together through its G20 presidency. At the president of G20, we have already included the CDRI in many working groups. The solutions you explore here will receive attention at the highest levels of global policy making. This is an opportunity for CDRI to contribute to infrastructure resilient, especially against climate risk and disasters. I am confident that the deliberations at ICRI 2023 will provide a pathway to achieve the shared vision of a more resilient world.