International Conference on Dam Safety Convened in Bengaluru under DRIP Phase II & III
International Conference on Dam Safety Convened in Bengaluru under DRIP Phase II & III
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.