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Context:

On 10 July 2025, a 4.4 M quake struck ~20 km SW of Delhi at shallow depth (~5 km), revealing widespread fragility in infrastructure.

This event is part of intensified seismic activity across Asia (Myanmar, Tibet, Greece), indicating tectonic unrest.

Introduction:

India lies on a seismically active tectonic boundary—as the Indian Plate drifts northward colliding with the Eurasian Plate at ~4–5 cm/yr—making much of northern and northeastern India highly earthquake-prone. 

India's seismic vulnerability:

• Seismic Zones IV & V: Delhi (Zone IV, PGA ≈0.24g), Himalayan states, Northeast, Andaman & Nicobar.
• Urban exposure: Delhi hosts ~33 million people, ~5,000 high-rises—>80% violate seismic codes (IS 1893:2016); construction on liquefaction-prone alluvial soils (East Delhi, Yamuna floodplains) worsens risk. 

Challenges:

• Weak code compliance: majority of older/pre‑2000 structures lack ductile detailing or shear walls.
• Rapid urbanisation: haphazard growth, zoning violations, and high‑rise proliferation without seismic planning.
• Lack of awareness/enforcement: despite codes like IS 1893:2016 and tools (e.g., IndiaQuake app), ground-level implementation is poor 

Recommended tectonic shift in thinking

• National seismic dialogue: GoI must spearhead a public discourse on seismic resilience.
• Strict code enforcement: mandatory enforcement of BIS standards (IS 1893, 4326) for all new and existing structures, incentivising retrofits.
• Urban planning integration: embed seismic considerations in masterplans, avoid building in liquefaction zones, and enforce land‑use discipline.
• Public‑private engagement: mobilise disaster‑management professionals, researchers, local bodies, and communities for comprehensive resilience planning. 

Way forward

• Periodic seismic audits and retrofitting campaigns.
• Public awareness and capacity building, promoting local participation in preparedness.
• Innovative finance mechanisms: insurance, resilience bonds, and incentives for compliant construction.
• A proactive, holistic shift—from reactive crisis management to anticipatory resilience—can mitigate future ‘Great Himalayan’ quake devastation. 

Conclusion

India stands at a pivotal moment: the recent Delhi quake starkly highlights systemic vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for a fundamental reorientation in policy, planning, and public engagement to build seismic resilience and safeguard lives and infrastructure. 

ALSO READ- https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/earthquakes

Source: The Hindu