Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Inaugurates 9th India International Water Week 2026

Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Organized by the Ministry of Jal Shakti from September 22 to 26, 2026, the theme for this five-day program is “Climate-Resilient Water Management.” The occasion was attended by Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Shri V. Somanna and Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, along with several senior officials and international delegates.

Addressing the inaugural session, the Vice President discussed the challenges facing water security due to climate change, urbanization, and increasing pressure on natural resources. He called for innovation, efficiency, and collective action for the integrated and sustainable management of water. The Vice President highlighted the critical role of interlinking rivers and, referring to his tenure as the Governor of Jharkhand, noted that rural tap water access there had increased from 7 percent to 37 percent due to the Jal Jeevan Mission. On this occasion, he also released two publications titled "Sustainable Urban River Management Framework" and "AI and ML Driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management."

Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil emphasized the coordination between water security and climate resilience. He shared details of India's 'Water Vision@2047' along with key initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Namami Gange, and the Ken-Betwa Link Project. He described public participation as the greatest strength in water management and highlighted the potential of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Remote Sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

During the program, grassroots 'Water Warriors' were honored, including Mrs. Ram Kumari from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, and Mr. Sitaram Madavi from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.

Netherlands and Germany have joined the event as partner countries, while 14 states and two central ministries are participating as partners. On the first day of the program, a high-level ministerial session on 'Countries' Perspectives on Climate-Resilient Water Management' was held, with representatives from Venezuela, Denmark, and the Netherlands participating. Additionally, discussions were held on the integrated management of water, food, and energy, as well as the Global River Cities Alliance, under which five urban river management plans were launched.

Alongside India International Water Week 2026, the second International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Conference 2026 is also being organized, aiming to advance the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 6 and exchange experiences for climate-resilient services.