**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, Central Water Commission, and Water Resources Department, Government of Karnataka jointly organized the International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS 2026) in Bengaluru from February 13th to 14th, 2026. The conference focused on dam safety governance, climate resilience, and modernization of water infrastructure under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & III. Key stakeholders shared experiences, research, and best practices to develop harmonized safety standards and foster international collaboration.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Conference Overview:**
* ICDS 2026 was held from February 13th to 14th, 2026, in Bengaluru at the J.N. Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
* Organized by multiple entities, including the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, and the World Bank.
* Inaugurated by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, with presence of Union Minister of State for Ministry of Jal Shakti, and representatives from international organisations.
* **Conference Objectives and Themes:**
* Aims to strengthen dam safety governance, enhance climate resilience, and modernize water infrastructure.
* Fosters dialogue among policymakers, regulators, engineers, researchers, and international partners.
* Focuses on key thematic areas, including regulatory frameworks, structural health assessment, rehabilitation practices, sediment management, risk-informed decision making, and dam failure case studies.
* **Outcomes and Initiatives:**
* Launch of DAMCHAT, an AI-powered platform developed by IIT Roorkee.
* Unveiling of the Jal Shakti Data Management platform of the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC).
* Release of publications by the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM), Karnataka, and the Guidelines for Design Flood Estimation for Mini and Micro Catchment Area by the Central Water Commission.
* **Participation and Representation:**
* Over 750 delegates participated, including national and international experts, sponsors, and exhibitors.
* Representatives from 12 countries, including India, Austria, Australia, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Canada, Zambia, Zimbabwe, France, Japan, Philippines and the United States of America.
* Exhibition featured 25 exhibitors showcasing technologies, monitoring systems, rehabilitation materials, and digital innovations.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government of India (Ministry of Jal Shakti, CWC)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced capabilities for dam safety management, improved data-driven decision support systems, and contribution to national and global dam safety practices.
* **Action Required:** Implement the outcomes of ICDS 2026 to support the effective implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021.
**State Governments (Karnataka and others)**
* **Impact:** Access to knowledge, technologies, and best practices for dam rehabilitation and improvement projects, as well as a platform for addressing regional water infrastructure challenges.
* **Action Required:** Implement the Dam Safety Act, 2021, ensure timely modernization of dams, and foster collaboration with relevant agencies.
**Dam Owners and Regulators**
* **Impact:** Opportunities to engage with experts, policymakers, and innovators, access advanced tools and technologies, and contribute to harmonized safety standards.
* **Action Required:** Incorporate best practices and insights from the conference into dam management strategies.
**Engineers, Researchers, and Academia**
* **Impact:** Platform to share research advancements, case studies, and collaborate on emerging challenges in dam safety.
* **Action Required:** Engage in knowledge dissemination and further development of tools and technologies for dam safety.
**Financial Institutions**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness of the need for investments into dam safety and modernisation, highlighting the importance of stakeholder engagement for project success
* **Action Required:** Improve knowledge of best practice in the field to evaluate viable and impactful investments.
Key Entities Referenced
Dam Safety Act, 2021: Indian legislation aimed at ensuring the safety and proper maintenance of dams across the country.
Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP): A World Bank assisted project for rehabilitation and improving safety of existing dams in India.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The Union Government ministry responsible for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation.
Central Water Commission (CWC): A premier technical organization of India in the field of water resources.
Bengaluru: Location of the International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS 2026).
Ministry of Jal Shakti
International Conference on Dam Safety
Convened in Bengaluru under DRIP Phase II & III
A joint initiative by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of
India, Central Water Commission, and Water Resources
Department, Government of Karnataka
Posted On: 14 FEB 2026 10:36AM by PIB Delhi
The International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS 2026) is being held at the J.N. Tata Auditorium,
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru from 13th to 14th February 2026 under the Dam
Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & III.
The Conference is being organised by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and
Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India and the Water
Resources Department, Government of Karnataka in collaboration with the Central Water
Commission (CWC); Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru; and the World Bank.
The Conference was inaugurated by Shri Siddaramaia, Chief Minister of Karnataka. The function was
presided over by Shri D.K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.
The inaugural session was marked by the presence of Chief Guest, Shri Raj Bhushan Choudary, Union
Minister of State for Ministry of Jal Shakti; Shri T.B. Jayachandra MLA, Karnataka and Special
Representative of Govt. of Karnataka in New Delhi; Mr. Johannes Zutt, Regional VP South Asia,
World Bank; Shri D. K. Sharma President of International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD);
Prof. Toshio Koike Executive Director – ICHRAM, Japan; Shri Anupam Prasad, Chairman, CWC;
Prof. Satyam Suwas, Dean Mechanical Sciences, IISc Bengaluru; and Shri Subodh Yadav, IAS,
Addl. Secretary Dept. of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.Highlighting ageing infrastructure, climate risks, and sustainability challenges, Chief Minister Shri
Siddaramaiah emphasised that dam safety is a national security imperative requiring science-based,
collaborative action by governments, regulators, academia, financial institutions, and communities to
ensure safe, resilient, and future-ready water infrastructure.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri D. K. Shivakumar highlighted Karnataka’s legacy in hydropower, engineering
excellence, innovation, and water management. He emphasised that dam safety is a national priority, he
called for bold reforms, transparent policies, and collective action to safeguard water infrastructure as a
foundation for farmer welfare, energy security, and India’s future prosperity.
Shri C. R. Patil, Union Minister of Jal Shakti addressed the gathering in a video message. He
congratulated the Government of Karnataka and organising partners for convening a timely conference
that brought together regulators, engineers, policymakers, dam owners, and industry experts to deliberate
on the growing importance of dam safety for agriculture, energy security, flood control, and disaster
management.
Minister of State Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary highlighted the urgent need for rehabilitation and
modernisation of India’s 6,500+ specified dams and stressed that timely implementation of the Dam
Safety Act, 2021 by States and dam-owning agencies is essential to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and
public investments, expressing confidence that the conference deliberations would yield meaningful
outcomes.
One of the highlights of the inaugural session was the launch of the DAMCHAT an AI-powered
platform developed by International Center of Excellence for Dams(ICED), IIT Roorkee, and the
unveiling of the Jal Shakti Data Management platform of the National Water Informatics Centre
(NWIC). Publications of the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management
(ACIWRM), Karnataka, and the Guidelines for Design Flood Estimation for Mini and Micro
Catchment Area published by the Central Water Commission were also released. These initiatives are
expected to strengthen digital decision-support systems and enhance data-driven dam safety management.ICDS 2026 provides a global platform for sharing experiences, research advancements, case studies and
best practices in dam safety governance and management. It brings together engineers, regulators,
academicians and industry experts to deliberate on emerging challenges, develop harmonised safety
standards and foster international collaboration.
In the Conference deliberation is on key thematic areas including International and National Regulatory
Frameworks for Dam Safety; Innovations in Structural Health Assessment of Dams and Rehabilitation
Materials; Ageing Dams and State-of-the-Art Rehabilitation Practices; Sediment Management in
Reservoirs; Risk-Informed Decision Making for Safe Dams; Hydrological Safety of Dams and
Coordinated Operation of Reservoirs for Flood Management; Dam Failure Case Studies and Lessons
Learnt; and Advances in Dam Safety Monitoring Systems.
More than 750 delegates participated on the first day in ICDS 2026, including national and international
experts, along with sponsors and exhibitors. Representatives from 12 countries — India, Austria,
Australia, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Canada, Zambia, Zimbabwe, France, Japan, Philippines and the
United States of America participated in the conference. An exhibition comprising 25 exhibitors is
showcasing advanced technologies, monitoring systems, rehabilitation materials and digital innovations in
dam safety and water resources management.
The two-day conference will continue with technical and industrial sessions focusing on dam health
monitoring, structural safety assessment, sediment management, coordinated reservoir operations,
industrial innovations and risk-informed decision-making approaches.
The International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS 2026) reaffirms India’s commitment to strengthening
dam safety governance, enhancing climate resilience, and modernising water infrastructure through
science, technology and institutional reform. By fostering dialogue among policymakers, regulators,
engineers, researchers and international partners, the Conference is expected to contribute meaningfully to
safer dams, resilient communities and sustainable water and energy security. The outcomes of ICDS 2026
will support the effective implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021 and reinforce India’s leadership in
dam safety practices at the national and global levels.
***
ND
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