IIT Roorkee inaugurates the fourth Roorkee Water Conclave 2026 on transboundary water cooperation.
Photo Credit: IIT Roorkee.
Roorkee, February 23, 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), in collaboration with the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) Roorkee, on Monday inaugurated the 4th Roorkee Water Conclave (RWC 2026), being held from February 23 to 25, 2026, on the theme “Transboundary Water Cooperation through Nexus approach.”
The biennial conclave brings together policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and water professionals from across the world to deliberate on integrated and sustainable solutions to emerging global water challenges.
Key thematic areas include transboundary river basin management, climate change adaptation and resilience, hydro-meteorological extremes, groundwater sustainability, water quality, and the water-energy-food nexus.
Leadership and inaugural session at IIT Roorkee:
The inaugural session was chaired by Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee. Y. R. S. Rao, Director, NIH Roorkee, is serving as Co-Chairman of the conclave, while Ashish Pandey is the Convener of RWC 2026.
The session began with the traditional lighting of the lamp and the rendition of Kulgeet, followed by welcome remarks by Prof. Ashish Pandey.
Addresses were delivered by Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Dr. Y. R. S. Rao, and Mark Smith, Director General of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
The program also featured special addresses by Padma Shri awardees Umashankar Pandey, Savjibhai Dholakia, and Popat Rao Pawar, release of the conclave proceedings, and a keynote address by Vinod K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, before concluding with the vote of thanks and the National Anthem.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant said that water security is intrinsically linked to climate resilience, food systems, and energy sustainability, noting that demand for water is also increasing due to the rapid growth of AI-driven data centres.
He emphasized that platforms like the Roorkee water Conclave enable evidence-based dialogue and foster global partnerships essential for cooperative and science-driven water governance.
Prof. Ashish Pandey highlighted that the nexus approach is critical for addressing complex transboundary water challenges.
He said RWX 2026 is designed to integrate scientific research, policy frameworks and community engagement to develop actionable pathways for sustainable water management.
Global participation and key panels:
A total of 42 keynote speakers from countries including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, Norway, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, and Nepal are participating in the conclave, along with experts from international organizations.
Their presence is expected to provide valuable global perspectives on current water management challenges and innovative solutions.
One of the major highlights of RWC 2026 is a distinguished panel discussion on “Community Participation and Socioeconomic Aspects of Water Cooperation.”
The panel features Padma Shri Awardees Savajibhai Dholakia, Popat Rao Pawar, Bharat Bhushan Tyagi, and Umashankar Pandey, along with senior policymakers and experts, including Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Yugal Joshi, R. N. Misra, Atul Jain, and Anil K. Mishra.
The conclave underscores a strong commitment to bridging science, policy, and grassroots leadership to ensure inclusive, community-driven, and institutionally robust water governance frameworks.
Strengthening water research leadership:
Through plenary sessions, technical discussions, and policy dialogues, RWC 2026 aims to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and promote resilient and equitable water resource management frameworks.
IIT Roorkee, India’s oldest technical institution and an Institute of National importance, continues to play a leading role in advancing research, innovation, and policy engagement in water resources and environmental sustainability.
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