Vice-President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on September 22, 2026. The five-day event is organized by the Ministry of Jal Shakti from September 22 to 26 and centers on the theme "Climate Resilient Water Management."
The Vice-President emphasized that water is the foundation of life and civilizations, stressing the need for judicious use, conservation, and effective management. He highlighted India's significant water challenges, noting that India accounts for about 2.4% of the world's land area and 18% of its population while possessing only about 4% of global freshwater resources. This disparity makes efficient water management critical for national development.
Radhakrishnan called for behavioral change among citizens, urging adoption of simple water-saving practices in daily lives such as using limited water for bathing and closing taps while brushing teeth. He emphasized that climate change, rapid urbanization, and population growth are making water management increasingly complex, requiring an integrated approach encompassing river-basin management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, and efficient irrigation.
The Vice-President highlighted the importance of inter-State cooperation, noting that 10 inter-State MoUs have been signed for water sharing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He specifically mentioned the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement among six States as an important example of inter-State cooperation. He also recalled his own 19,000-km Ratha Yatra across Tamil Nadu more than two decades ago, which aimed to create awareness about river interlinking, water conservation, and proper management of water resources.
During the event, the Vice-President launched two significant initiatives: the Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework and AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management. These represent important steps toward technology-enabled and climate-resilient water management. The event was attended by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil, Ministers of State for Jal Shakti Shri V. Somanna and Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Secretaries of the Ministry of Jal Shakti Smt. Archana Varma and Shri Ashok Meena, Chairman of Central Water Commission Shri Anupam Prasad, and delegates and experts from India and abroad.