Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, launching the Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework and AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management to advance technology-enabled and climate-resilient water management.
The five-day event, organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti from September 22 to 26, is being held under the theme “Climate Resilient Water Management”.
Addressing the gathering, Radhakrishnan said water is the foundation of life and civilisations, and stressed the need for its judicious use, conservation and effective management.
Recalling his childhood experiences in Tamil Nadu, the Vice-President said he had witnessed water scarcity and understood the importance of ensuring access to potable water. “Saving water is of paramount importance for humanity and the globe,” he said.
Radhakrishnan recalled that more than two decades ago, he undertook a 19,000-km Ratha Yatra across Tamil Nadu, aimed partly at creating awareness about river interlinking, water conservation and the proper management of water resources.
He said river interlinking could help address situations where some regions face floods while others experience drought.
Emphasising India’s civilisational connect with rivers, Radhakrishnan said communities had developed rich traditions and practices for conserving, sharing and managing water over centuries. “Our traditional wisdom provides valuable lessons for addressing today’s water challenges,” he said.
The Vice-President noted that India accounts for about 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area and 18 per cent of its population, while possessing only about 4 per cent of global freshwater resources. He stressed that India’s water-use requirements cannot be compared with those of countries with greater water availability and smaller populations.
Calling for behavioural change, he urged citizens to adopt simple water-saving practices in their daily lives. “We can take a bath using two buckets or twenty buckets. The choice is ours. We can close the tap while brushing our teeth. These may appear to be small things, but within these small actions lies the interest of humanity and the world,” he said.
Radhakrishnan said climate change, rapid urbanisation and population growth were making water management increasingly complex. He called for an integrated approach covering river-basin management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation among states in resolving water-sharing issues. Appreciating the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he noted that 10 inter-State MoUs had been signed for water sharing and commended the Union Government, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and participating states for promoting cooperative solutions.
He particularly highlighted the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement among six states as an important example of inter-State cooperation.
As India moves towards becoming a developed economy by 2047, Radhakrishnan said efficient and sustainable water management would be critical. Recalling Prime Minister Modi’s call for “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari”, he urged citizens to turn water conservation into a mass movement.
He emphasised the need for greater water-use efficiency, recycling and reuse, particularly in view of the substantial demand from agriculture and growing industrial requirements. He called for a shift from reactive to predictive and technology-enabled water management.
Calling for a multi-stakeholder and multi-dimensional approach, Radhakrishnan said water challenges could not be addressed by any single institution, sector or state. He expressed confidence that deliberations at India International Water Week 2026 would generate innovative technological, policy, socio-economic and environmental approaches for climate-resilient and integrated water management.
Urging participants to share knowledge, build partnerships and commit themselves to saving and conserving water, the Vice-President said, “Jal Suraksha will lead to Jan Suraksha and Rashtra Suraksha.”
Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Patil, Ministers of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna and Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Secretaries of the Ministry of Jal Shakti Archana Varma and Ashok Meena, Chairman of the Central Water Commission Anupam Prasad, along with delegates and experts from India and abroad, were present on the occasion.
-PIB Inputs
