Singapore’s New Water is phenomenal concept, says Dutt
The High Commissioner Dr Shilpak Ambule has highlighted research work done in the water sector and displayed at an international exhibition in Singapore and called on the Indian water industry to make full use of such work especially as the country moves forward in advanced manufacturing and establish data centres to support its globally-focused data ecosystem.
“Try and forge new connections and find new business opportunities,” the envoy said on 17 June as he led over 150 Indian business delegates at a specially curated “India Business Forum” at the Singapore International Water Week held June 15-18.
“Water is a very important subject today. Not only drinking water, industrial water, sewage treatment, but as we are moving towards the age of advanced manufacturing and data centres, I think the issue of water becomes that much more important,” said the High Commissioner as he led a number of Indian companies at the annual exhibition and conference.
Ambule pointed out, “Singapore has done a lot of research and has allocated a lot of resources in that field. So, I urge each or every one of you to make full use of your time, to study what Singapore has done in that (water) area.”
He also noted that the exhibition displayed research work and technologies especially from other parts of the world and called on the Indian businesses “to make the best use of opportunities that related to their interests, especially research happening in other parts of the world”.
Indraneel Dutt, Managing Director and CEO of Ion Exchange (India) Ltd. and Co-Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) Water Mission, said Indian water companies are increasingly looking to collaborate with Singapore’s water ecosystem, which has established globally recognised benchmarks in water recycling, reuse and integrated water management.
“New Water is a phenomenal concept and a remarkable example of how treated wastewater can be transformed into a reliable source of high-quality water for industrial and other applications,” said Dutt, who led a 15-member CII industry delegation to study water projects implemented by Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB).
He noted that the delegation gained valuable insights into how PUB is preparing for future water and wastewater management challenges through long-term planning, infrastructure development and innovation.
“We have had productive discussions with PUB on how we can leverage Singapore’s technical expertise and innovation capabilities for the mutual benefit of both countries and their water resources,” Dutt said.
Describing the engagements as highly valuable, he emphasised that water recycling and reuse are rapidly gaining momentum across the world, including India.
“The need for recycled water will continue to increase as groundwater resources come under growing stress. While options such as desalination are available, they are often capital-intensive. Water reuse and recycling therefore become critical elements of sustainable water management,” he said.
“Water challenges cannot be solved in silos. They demand collaboration and dialogue across sectors, institutions and communities. Strong public-private partnerships, deeper industry-government engagement and integrated collaboration among urban planners, utilities, industry and civil society are essential to achieving long-term water security,” said Dutt.
He also shared CII’s vision for water stewardship, which provides a structured framework for industry engagement on sustainable water management.
“Our vision is that efficient water management should not be viewed merely as a compliance requirement. It is a strategic driver of long-term economic growth, environmental sustainability and value creation,” Dutt said.
A key focus of the CII Water Mission is addressing the growing gap between water demand and available resources through greater awareness, adoption of advanced technologies, digital innovation, effective policy frameworks and capacity building across stakeholders. Fiinews.com
