Vice-President Opens 9th India International Water Week 2026
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan opened the 9th India International Water Week on the theme 'Climate Resilient Water Management' and launched the SURM Framework.

Why in News
On 22 September 2026 Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and launched the SURM Framework.
Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 22 September 2026. The five-day event, organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti from 22 to 26 September, has the theme "Climate Resilient Water Management".
What was launched
- The Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework.
- AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management, a step towards technology-enabled, climate-resilient water management.
What the Vice-President said
- "Jal Suraksha will lead to Jan Suraksha and Rashtra Suraksha": water security leads to the security of people and the nation.
- India has about 2.4 per cent of the world's land and 18 per cent of its population, but only about 4 per cent of global freshwater, so its water use cannot be compared with water-rich, less populous countries.
- Small daily habits matter: bathing with two buckets instead of twenty, closing the tap while brushing.
- Climate change, urbanisation and population growth need an integrated approach: river-basin management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation, with a shift from reactive to predictive, technology-enabled management.
- Inter-State cooperation is improving: 10 inter-State MoUs on water sharing have been signed, and the Kishau Multipurpose Project agreement among six States is an example.
- He recalled a 19,000-km Ratha Yatra across Tamil Nadu more than two decades ago to promote river interlinking and water conservation, and Prime Minister Modi's call for "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari".
Why the launches matter
Urban rivers in India carry sewage and encroachment, so a framework for managing river stretches inside cities gives municipalities a common method for restoring them. Reservoir sediment, meanwhile, quietly eats into storage capacity year after year; using AI and machine learning to plan its removal is meant to keep dams working for longer. The Water Week itself is the Ministry of Jal Shakti's flagship international platform, bringing policymakers, researchers and industry together for five days of technical sessions and exhibitions.
Who was there
Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, Ministers of State V. Somanna and Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Jal Shakti Secretaries Archana Varma and Ashok Meena, Central Water Commission Chairman Anupam Prasad, and delegates and experts from India and abroad.
Important Facts
| Event | 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 22 to 26 September 2026 |
| Venue | Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi |
| Organiser | Ministry of Jal Shakti |
| Theme | Climate Resilient Water Management |
| Inaugurated by | Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan |
| Launched | Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework; AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management |
| India's share | 2.4% of world land, 18% of population, about 4% of freshwater |
| Inter-State water MoUs | 10 signed; Kishau Multipurpose Project among six States |
| Jal Shakti Minister | C. R. Patil |
Exam Point of View
Remember the edition (9th), dates (22–26 September 2026), venue (Bharat Mandapam), organiser (Ministry of Jal Shakti), theme ('Climate Resilient Water Management'), who inaugurated it (Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan), what was launched (SURM Framework) and the 2.4% land / 18% population / 4% freshwater figures.
Practice Questions
What is the theme of the 9th India International Water Week 2026?
- A.Water for Sustainable Development
- B.Climate Resilient Water Management
- C.Water Security for Peace
- D.Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Climate Resilient Water Management
Explanation
The correct answer is Climate Resilient Water Management. The 9th India International Water Week, organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 22 to 26 September 2026, is centred on this theme. Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated it on 22 September and said climate change, rapid urbanisation and population growth are making water management more complex, calling for river-basin management, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation.
The distractors are plausible slogans. "Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari" is real but different: it is the Prime Minister's call for a mass movement on water conservation, which the Vice-President quoted in his speech. The other two are generic phrases in the style of international water-day themes. Themes change with every edition, so tie this one to the 9th edition and 2026.
Which framework did Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan launch at the inauguration of India International Water Week 2026?
- A.National Water Policy 2026
- B.Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework
- C.Atal Bhujal Framework
- D.Namami Gange 3.0
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework
Explanation
The correct answer is Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework. At the inauguration on 22 September 2026, the Vice-President launched the SURM Framework along with an AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management system, described as steps towards technology-enabled and climate-resilient water management. Urban river management matters because most Indian cities have turned their rivers into drains, and sediment management decides how long reservoirs keep their storage capacity.
The other options are made to sound official. There was no National Water Policy launched at the event; Atal Bhujal is an existing groundwater scheme, not a framework launched here; and Namami Gange is the Ganga programme, with no "3.0" announced. Read launch questions carefully: the name of the document and the launching dignitary are usually what is tested.
According to the Vice-President, India has about 18% of the world's population but only about what share of global freshwater resources?
- A.2.4%
- B.4%
- C.10%
- D.18%
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 4%
Explanation
The correct answer is 4%. Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan 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. That mismatch is why he said India's water use cannot be compared with countries that have far more water and far fewer people, and why he asked citizens to adopt simple habits such as closing the tap while brushing.
The other numbers are lifted from the same sentence to confuse: 2.4% is India's share of the world's land, 18% is its share of population, and 10% is a distractor. These three figures appear in almost every Indian water-policy document, so learn them as a trio: 2.4% land, 18% people, 4% freshwater.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the theme of India International Water Week 2026?
'Climate Resilient Water Management'. The 9th edition is being held from 22 to 26 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
What was launched at the inauguration of IIWW 2026?
The Sustainable Urban River Management (SURM) Framework and an AI/ML-driven Integrated Reservoir Sediment Management system, both launched by Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan.
Sources
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