diff --git a/config/initializers/es.rb b/config/initializers/es.rb
index abafd148d1..2317dd34ed 100644
--- a/config/initializers/es.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/es.rb
@@ -4,16 +4,14 @@ module ES
   ES_CONFIG = Rails.application.config_for(:elasticsearch_client).freeze
 
   def self.client
-    Elasticsearch::Client.new(
+    @client ||= Elasticsearch::Client.new(
       ES_CONFIG.merge(
         randomize_hosts: true,
         retry_on_failure: true,
         reload_connections: false,
         reload_on_failure: false,
         transport_options: {
-          ssl: {
-            verify: false
-          }
+          ssl: { verify: false }
         },
         logger: Rails.logger
       )
@@ -22,18 +20,183 @@ def self.client
 
   def self.create_index
     index_name = ENV.fetch('SEARCHELASTIC_INDEX')
-
+    min_age = ENV.fetch('SEARCHELASTIC_INDEX_RETENTION_MIN_AGE')
+    policy_name = 'index_policy'
+  
+    # 1. Create or update ILM policy
+    client.ilm.put_policy(
+      policy_id: policy_name,
+      body: {
+        policy: {
+          phases: {
+            hot: {
+              min_age: '0ms',
+              actions: {
+                set_priority: { priority: 100 }
+              }
+            },
+            delete: {
+              min_age: min_age,
+              actions: { delete: {} }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    )
+    Rails.logger.info("ILM policy '#{policy_name}' created or updated.")
+  
+    # 2. Apply index template (can update if already exists)
     template_generator = SearchElastic::Template.new("*#{index_name}*")
-
-    self.client.indices.put_template(
+    client.indices.put_template(
+      name: index_name,
       body: template_generator.body,
-      create: true,
+      create: false,
       include_type_name: false,
+      order: 0
+    )
+    Rails.logger.info("Index template for '#{index_name}' applied.")
+  
+    if client.indices.exists?(index: index_name)
+      Rails.logger.info("Index '#{index_name}' already exists. Ensuring ILM policy is attached and delete.min_age is updated.")
+  
+      # Get current index settings
+      current_settings = client.indices.get_settings(index: index_name)
+  
+      # Check if delete.min_age needs to be updated
+      lifecycle = current_settings.dig(index_name, 'settings', 'index', 'lifecycle', 'name')
+      if lifecycle != policy_name
+        client.indices.put_settings(
+          index: index_name,
+          body: {
+            index: {
+              lifecycle: {
+                name: policy_name
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        )
+      end
+  
+      # Check if delete.min_age needs to be updated
+      current_min_age = current_settings.dig(index_name, 'settings', 'index', 'lifecycle', 'policy', 'phases', 'delete', 'min_age')
+      if current_min_age != min_age
+        client.indices.put_settings(
+          index: index_name,
+          body: {
+            index: {
+              lifecycle: {
+                policy: {
+                  phases: {
+                    delete: {
+                      min_age: min_age
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        )
+      end
+    else
+      # Create index if it doesn't exist
+      client.indices.create(
+        index: index_name,
+        body: {
+          settings: {
+            index: {
+              lifecycle: {
+                name: policy_name
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      )
+    end
+  end
+    index_name = ENV.fetch('SEARCHELASTIC_INDEX')
+    min_age = ENV.fetch('SEARCHELASTIC_INDEX_RETENTION_MIN_AGE')
+    policy_name = 'index_policy'
+
+    # 1. Create or update ILM policy
+    client.ilm.put_policy(
+      policy_id: policy_name,
+      body: {
+        policy: {
+          phases: {
+            hot: {
+              min_age: '0ms',
+              actions: {
+                set_priority: { priority: 100 }
+              }
+            },
+            delete: {
+              min_age: min_age,
+              actions: { delete: {} }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    )
+    Rails.logger.info("ILM policy '#{policy_name}' created or updated.")
+
+    # 2. Apply index template (can update if already exists)
+    template_generator = SearchElastic::Template.new("*#{index_name}*")
+    client.indices.put_template(
       name: index_name,
+      body: template_generator.body,
+      create: false,
+      include_type_name: false,
       order: 0
     )
+    Rails.logger.info("Index template for '#{index_name}' applied.")
 
-    repo = SearchElastic::DocumentRepository.new
-    repo.create_index!(index: index_name, include_type_name: true)
+    if client.indices.exists?(index: index_name)
+      Rails.logger.info("Index '#{index_name}' already exists. Ensuring ILM policy is attached.")
+
+      # 3a. Attach ILM policy to existing index if needed
+      current_settings = client.indices.get_settings(index: index_name)
+      lifecycle = current_settings.dig(index_name, 'settings', 'index', 'lifecycle', 'name')
+
+      if lifecycle != policy_name
+        client.indices.put_settings(
+          index: index_name,
+          body: {
+            index: {
+              lifecycle: {
+                name: policy_name
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        )
+        Rails.logger.info("ILM policy '#{policy_name}' attached to existing index '#{index_name}'.")
+      else
+        Rails.logger.info("ILM policy '#{policy_name}' is already applied to index '#{index_name}'.")
+      end
+    else
+      # 3b. Create index with ILM policy
+      client.indices.create(
+        index: index_name,
+        body: {
+          settings: {
+            index: {
+              lifecycle: {
+                name: policy_name
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      )
+      Rails.logger.info("Index '#{index_name}' created with ILM policy '#{policy_name}'.")
+    end
+
+    # 4. Wait for index to reach yellow or green status
+    client.cluster.health(
+      index: index_name,
+      wait_for_status: 'yellow',
+      timeout: '30s'
+    )
+  rescue => e
+    Rails.logger.error("Failed to create/configure index '#{index_name}': #{e.class} - #{e.message}")
+    raise
   end
 end