Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, today inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The five-day event, being organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti from September 22 to 26, is centred on the theme “Climate Resilient Water Management.”

Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President said that water is the foundation of life and civilisations, stressing the need for its judicious use, conservation and effective management.

Recalling his childhood experiences in Tamil Nadu, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said that he had personally witnessed water scarcity and remembered the importance attached to bringing potable water to people. “Saving water is of paramount importance for humanity and the globe,” he said.

The Vice-President recalled that more than two decades ago, he undertook a 19,000-km Ratha Yatra across Tamil Nadu, one of the objectives of which was to create awareness about river interlinking, water conservation and 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, the Vice-President said Indian 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 having 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.

The Vice-President said climate change, rapid urbanisation and population growth were making water management increasingly complex. He stressed the need for an integrated approach encompassing river-basin management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation.

The Vice-President highlighted the importance of cooperation among States in addressing water-sharing issues. Appreciating the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he noted that 10 inter-State MoUs have been signed for water sharing.He appreciated the efforts of the Union Government, the Ministry of Jal Shakti and participating States in promoting cooperative solutions.He particularly highlighted the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement among six States as an important example of inter-State cooperation.

Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said that as India moves towards becoming a developed economy by 2047, efficient and sustainable water management will be critical. He recalled Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call for “Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari” and urged citizens to make water conservation a mass movement.

He emphasised the need for greater water-use efficiency, recycling and reuse, particularly in view of the substantial demand for water from agriculture and the growing requirements of industry.He called for a shift from reactive to predictive and technology-enabled water management.

Calling for a multi-stakeholder and multi-dimensional approach, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said water challenges cannot be addressed by any single institution, sector or State.He expressed confidence that the 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 all 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.”

On the occasion, the Vice-President launched the Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework and AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management, marking important steps towards technology-enabled and climate-resilient water management.

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, Central Water Commission, Shri Anupam Prasad, and delegates and experts from India and abroad were present on the occasion.

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PR/ASM/VM