EU-India partnership to promote sustainable water management: GIZ Director Laura Sustersic

Kohima: Director of GIZ India, Laura Sustersic, on Tuesday stressed on the significance of the strategic partnership between the European Union (EU) and India in addressing water resource challenges.

Delivering the introductory remarks at a stakeholder event, Sustersic said the collaboration aims to share best practices, adapt European experiences to the Indian context, and develop sustainable and scalable solutions for water management.

She was speaking at a consultative meeting on Barak River Basin management plan and collaboration between Indian-EU initiative and Brahmaputra board held at Nagaland Civil Secretariat, an official statement said here.

She emphasised that the initiative focuses on integrated water resource management, innovation, and climate-resilient practices tailored to local needs. "Through this partnership, we hope to strengthen capacities, encourage policy dialogue, and foster practical, community-based approaches to sustainable water use," she stated.

The event, attended by government officials, environmental experts, and community representatives, centred on identifying region-specific solutions for water scarcity and pollution — issues increasingly critical amid changing climate patterns.

Officials from the State Water Resources Department and representatives from the EU delegation echoed similar concerns and stressed the need for convergence between international expertise and grassroots action. The collaboration is part of the larger EU-India Water Partnership (EU-IWP), supported by GIZ under the Indo-German development cooperation framework.

Participants also discussed case studies and successful European water governance models that could be adapted to India's decentralised administrative systems.

The initiative aims to pilot innovative interventions in selected Indian states, with a focus on long-term sustainability, inclusion, and replicability across regions, the statement added.