Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, called for integrated and sustainable water management through innovation, efficiency and collective action at the inauguration of the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Addressing the gathering in the presence of Union Minister of Jal Shakti C. R. Patil, Radhakrishnan underscored the critical role of river interlinking in resolving spatial and temporal disparities in water availability across the country.

Key Highlights from the Vice President's Address

Radhakrishnan drew on his own tenure as Governor of Jharkhand to illustrate the scale of transformation possible through targeted intervention. He noted that rural tap water coverage in Jharkhand rose from approximately 7 per cent to 37 per cent under the Jal Jeevan Mission, describing it as a 'transformative programme' that has significantly expanded access to potable drinking water in rural households across the state.

He also stressed the importance of cooperative arrangements among states for sharing and managing inter-state river waters — a politically sensitive but operationally critical dimension of India's water security challenge. Radhakrishnan urged participants to leverage IIWW 2026 as a platform to exchange knowledge, forge partnerships and convert deliberations into concrete, measurable action.

Two Key Publications Launched

The Vice President launched two significant publications at the event: the 'Sustainable Urban River Management Framework' and 'AI and ML Driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management.' Both documents are aimed at providing actionable guidance on deploying technology and governance frameworks in water resource management — signalling the government's intent to move beyond conventional approaches toward data-driven and AI-assisted solutions.

What the Jal Shakti Minister Said

Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil emphasised that water security and climate resilience must advance together, noting that the most visible impacts of climate change are increasingly being experienced through water. He outlined India's Water Vision@2047 and highlighted a broad slate of central interventions including Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, Namami Gange, Atal Bhujal Yojana, NAQUIM, the Ken-Betwa Link Project, the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project, and the National Hydrology Project.

Patil described Jan Bhagidari — people's participation — as India's 'biggest strength' in advancing water management, citing the value of shared learning across communities and institutions.

Global and Multi-Stakeholder Platform

Archana Verma, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, described IIWW as having evolved into an important multidisciplinary global platform for policy dialogue, technology demonstration, knowledge sharing and partnerships. This year's edition sees the Netherlands and Germany participating as partner countries, alongside 14 states as partner states and two central ministries as partner ministries.

The event brings together governments, international and multilateral organisations, research and academic institutions, industry, civil society, start-ups, innovators and young professionals — making it one of the largest structured forums on water governance in the region. As India confronts accelerating climate pressures and a growing urban-rural water divide, the outcomes of IIWW 2026 could shape the policy agenda ahead of the country's 2047 centenary development goals.