Study OAS · 23 April 2026

9th India International Water Week (IIWW)

What’s the News?

• The Ministry of Jal Shakti has announced that the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW-2026) will be held from September 22 to 26 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the central theme “Climate Resilient Water Management.”
• This is the first edition to be branded as the “International” Water Week, signaling a deliberate effort to broaden global participation and establish the event as a premier international water forum.
• A parallel Second International WASH Conference will also be held from September 22 to 24, focusing on water quality, sanitation, and hygiene.

9th India International Water Week (IIWW-2026)

• Origins & Frequency:
  • Conceptualized as a flagship event in 2012 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
  • Held on a biennial basis; eight editions have been organised so far (2012 to 2024).
  • The 9th edition in 2026 becomes the first under the expanded “International” mandate.
• Venue: Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
• Theme: “Climate Resilient Water Management” — chosen in the context of increasing extreme weather events, erratic rainfall, and growing water stress across India and the world.
• Objective:
  • Provide a global platform for knowledge-sharing, innovation, and partnerships in water governance.
  • Promote sustainable and adaptive water management practices aligned with India’s long-term water security goals.
• Scale:
  • Over 5,000 delegates expected (500 more than the previous edition).
  • Exhibition space of 7,000 sq. m in Hall No. 14.
  • 11 partner country delegations, 6 Union Ministries, and 16 States/UTs participating.

Parallel Event: 2nd International WASH Conference

• Held concurrently from September 22 to 24 at the same venue.
• Focus on water quality, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) — key pillars of the government’s integrated water management strategy
• Participation from experts, researchers, State governments, Central ministries, and NGOs.

Government Water Initiatives

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) / JJM 2.0:
  • Scheme extended till December 2028 with an enhanced total outlay of ₹8.69 lakh crore (Central share: ₹3.59 lakh crore).
  • Aims to provide tap water connections to all 19.36 crore rural households by 2028.
  • As of now, ~15.80 crore households (81.61%) have tap water connections.
  • JJM 2.0 shifts focus from infrastructure creation to service delivery, sustainability, and community ownership through initiatives like “Sujalam Bharat” (digital framework), “Jal Arpan” (community handover), and “Jal Utsav” (annual maintenance event).
  • WHO estimates JJM has saved 5.5 crore hours daily in women’s drudgery and prevented 400,000 diarrheal deaths.
• Mission Amrit Sarovar:
  • Launched in April 2022 with the target of constructing/rejuvenating 75 water bodies per district.
  • Over 68,000 Amrit Sarovars completed nationwide, surpassing the initial goal of 50,000.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain:
  • A nationwide campaign emphasizing rainwater harvesting and water conservation with community participation.
  • The 2025 edition was launched on World Water Day with the continued tagline “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”.
• River Health & Yamuna Cleaning:
  • Union Minister C.R. Patil highlighted ongoing Centre-State collaboration for comprehensive river rejuvenation plans, including the Yamuna.

India’s Water Stress

• Per Capita Water Availability:
  • Declined from ~5,000 cubic metres in 1961 to 1,486 cubic metres in 2021 — a ~70% drop.
  • Projected to fall further to ~1,300 cubic metres by 2047
  • Water Stress Threshold: Below 1,700 cubic metres per capita; Water Scarcity Threshold: Below 1,000 cubic metres.
• Demand vs. Supply:
  • India supports ~17% of the world’s population but has only 4% of global freshwater resources.
  • NITI Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) reports that nearly 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress.
  • National water demand is expected to outstrip harvestable availability by 2047.
• Groundwater Dependency:
  • Groundwater contributes 62% to irrigation, 85% to rural water supply, and 45% to urban water supply.

National Water Mission (NWM)

• One of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
• Objectives:
  • Increase water use efficiency by 20%.
  • Promote basin-level integrated water resource management.
  • Assess the impact of climate change on water resources.
  • Encourage water conservation as a people’s movement.
• The mission provides the overarching policy framework for many of the themes being discussed at IIWW-2026.

Sources

• indianexpress
• hindustantimes
• aninews