New Delhi: The Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance the use of satellite technology and space-based applications in water resource management across India.
The agreement was inked during a national workshop on research and development (R&D) in the water sector organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
Under the MoU, the Department of Water Resources and ISRO will jointly collaborate in 24 key research areas, including reservoir monitoring, assessment of water spread, river flow analysis, satellite-based water quality monitoring, and studies on macroplastic distribution in water bodies.
Addressing the workshop, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil said water security is essential to achieving the vision of “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, stressing that water challenges must be addressed through technology, innovation, traditional knowledge, and public participation.
“Water security is a critical foundation for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Solutions to water-related challenges must be driven by technology, innovation, traditional knowledge and people’s participation,” Patil said.
He added that the ministry has supported several research initiatives over the past decade, including 113 directly sponsored projects that have contributed practical solutions in the water sector.
Patil also launched the third phase of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) campaign and announced a target of creating two crore water conservation structures between June 2026 and May 2027. The previous phase of the campaign had already surpassed 1.5 crore structures.
The workshop also witnessed the launch of the Mission for Advancement in High Impact Areas (MAHA-Water) programme, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), along with an open call for startups and micro, small and medium enterprises under the Bharat Water Innovation Network (Bharat WIN) platform.
ISRO Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space V Narayanan said the MoU will deepen cooperation between the two institutions and expand the use of satellite-based technologies in water management.
“Space technology today offers unprecedented capacity for observing, assessing, forecasting and managing water resources,” he said, adding that the collaboration will support groundwater assessment, water resource monitoring, and flood forecasting. He also noted that ISRO has been working with the water resources sector since 1982.
ANRF Chief Executive Officer Shivkumar Kalyanaraman said the MAHA-Water programme will support multi-institutional projects involving academic institutions, laboratories, startups, and industry partners.
With PTI inputs