India has launched a nationwide Cell Broadcast System (CBS) to deliver real-time, geo-targeted emergency alerts directly to mobile phones during disasters and public safety incidents. The platform is designed to strengthen early warning systems and improve emergency communication with citizens.
The system was launched by Jyotiraditya Scindia and developed by Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) under the Department of Telecommunications in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Unlike conventional SMS alerts, CBS enables authorities to instantly broadcast warnings to all mobile devices within a defined geographic area, even during network congestion. The platform supports mobile technologies from 2G to 5G and allows multilingual, location-specific alerts with high-priority warning notifications.
The system has been integrated with the CAP-based Sachet disaster alert platform to support rapid and standardised dissemination of emergency warnings. A nationwide test conducted during the launch demonstrated the platform’s ability to simultaneously reach users across regions and telecom networks.
Officials said the initiative marks an important step towards technology-driven disaster preparedness and strengthened public safety communication across the country.
