India showcases WASH Innovations India showcases WASH Innovations

NEW DELHI: The India Pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 hosted a global discussion themed “India’s WASH Innovation: Driving Global Impact on Climate and Water Sustainability.” The high-profile session underscored India’s transformative achievements in water, sanitation, and hygiene, emphasizing their critical role in global climate resilience and sustainable development.

Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C R Patil gave the keynote address and presented India’s journey through Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). SBM and JJM have substantially augmented the coverage of sanitation and supplied safe drinking water facilities to millions of rural households.

Patil said, “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership, India actively conserves water and leads a transformative revolution in this critical sector.” Our large-scale efforts have strengthened water resources, setting a global benchmark for sustainable water management. Strengthened international cooperation with collective action is a necessity in solving water scarcity.

Highlighting India’s progress, Patil said only 17 per cent of rural households had functional tap water connections in 2019, but today, the figure stands at 79.66 per cent. “This transformation has saved 55 million hours a day in fetching water, and enhanced workforce participation and productivity, especially by women,” Patil said.

The WEF platform provided an opportunity for the Ministry of Jal Shakti to present India’s innovative WASH initiatives as inclusive and equitable. The emphasis of India’s initiatives on community engagement, behaviour change, and harnessing technology will be an inspiration for other countries to replicate such strategies.

The session held two-panel discussions. The session gave the Water Panel the title “Bringing Global Impact of Water Sustainability.” Speakers on the Sanitation Panel titled “Innovation in Global Health Through Sanitation” featured speakers from the Gates Foundation, Riseberg Ventures, BCHAR, Capgemini, and policy advocate Vivek Oberoi, who spoke about groundbreaking innovations in sanitation.