Context:

India hosted the 6th European Union - India Water Forum to strengthen cooperation in Sustainable Water Management.

Key highlights of the forum

• The Forum was held on the sidelines of the 8th India Water Week, in New Delhi
• Both sides agreed to advance cooperation in river basin management and foster innovation and technology transfer while promoting sustainable investments.
• The forum explored trilateral collaboration between East Africa, India and the European Union, to address challenges in East Africa’s water bodies such as Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika (The great lakes of East Africa), leveraging the combined strength of India and the European Union.
• The first Indo-European Water Forum was held in New Delhi on 23-24 November 2015. It provided the impetus for setting up an Indo-European Water Partnership (IEWP)

The India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP) 

• The India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP) is an outcome of the ‘Joint Declaration on Water’ adopted by India and the EU in 2016 during the 13th EU-India Summit in Brussels.
• The IEWP aims to enhance technological, scientific, and policy frameworks in water management.
• IEWP, currently in Phase III focuses on creating impactful and sustainable solutions in key areas such as river basin management, climate resilience, urban flooding, and water governance.
• Phase III aligns with India’s National 2030 Agenda and the EU's Global Gateway Strategy which promotes sustainable investments, connectivity, and infrastructure development focused on green, digital, and inclusive growth.
• Under IEWP, the EU and India are collaborating on river management in the Tapi and Ramganga River Basins.
• Both regions have co-jointly funded 7 research and innovation water projects with €37.4 million (EU €23.4 M + India €14 M), bringing together 743 participants from the EU and India.
• These projects focus on drinking water purification, wastewater treatment, and real-time monitoring and control systems.
• The India-EU Water Partnership is closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
• Besides contributing to SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 13 (climate action), the partnership also advances SDG 15 (life on land) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) by fostering sustainable, green, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

India Water Week

• It was first organized in 2012. The Ministry of Jal Shakti organizes the India Water Week biannually. 
• This year's theme is Partnership and Cooperation for inclusive water development and management.
• The seventh edition of the event was organized in 2022.

Significance of the Forum

• It tackles critical water challenges and forges innovative technological solutions.
• It serves as the key platform for discussing water sector challenges, sharing best practices, and enhancing business and research opportunities.
• It highlights the shared commitment between the EU and India to address global water issues through technological collaboration, policy exchange, and sustainable investment strategies.