PHDCCI Hosts International Summit on Smart & Sustainable Water Systems in New Delhi

New Delhi, August 21, 2026: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in association with Water Today, successfully hosted the International Summit on Smart & Sustainable Water Systems: Bridging Technology and Access at Hall 12A, ITPO, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, sustainability experts and development-sector stakeholders to deliberate on innovative approaches to addressing India’s growing water-security challenges.
The summit focused on critical issues including water scarcity, climate change, rapid urbanisation, wastewater reuse and recycling, industrial water efficiency, circular manufacturing, smart water technologies, digitalisation, green finance and industry–academia–government collaboration.
The inaugural ceremony was led by Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General, PHDCCI, who inaugurated the expo and welcomed industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, sustainability experts, policymakers and development-sector stakeholders. The event brought together key representatives from the water, sustainability, technology, infrastructure and development sectors to discuss innovative solutions for India’s growing water-security challenges.
Speaking at the summit, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General, PHDCCI, highlighted the fundamental importance of water and the need to leverage technology and innovation to address India’s growing water challenges. He emphasised the increasing importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), sensors, smart technologies and data-driven solutions in improving water management and efficiency.
Dr. Mehta noted that water leakage remains a major challenge and that the use of sensors and smart monitoring systems can play an important role in identifying leakages, reducing water losses and improving the efficiency of water infrastructure. He also highlighted the significance of initiatives such as the Har Ghar Jal programme in expanding access to water and stressed that ensuring sustainable and efficient water use must remain a collective priority.
He further observed that awareness around water conservation is growing, particularly among the younger generation. “Water is fundamental to life and development, and every individual needs to become conscious of how we use and conserve it. The younger generation, including Gen Z, is increasingly conscious of sustainability and environmental issues, and this awareness can become a powerful force for change,” he said.
Dr. Mehta stressed that addressing India’s water challenges cannot be the responsibility of any one stakeholder alone. “Neither the government, teachers, the public nor AI alone can solve the water challenge. What is required is collaboration—between government, industry, academia, communities, technology providers and citizens. Only through collective action and the responsible use of technology can we build a water-secure and sustainable India,” he added.
The summit featured four technical sessions covering a wide spectrum of emerging water-sector priorities.
Technical Session I – “Building Water Resilience through Reuse and Recycling” examined urban wastewater reuse, municipal and industrial recycling, global best practices and strategies for scaling water-reuse systems. The session brought together experts including Dr. Sanjay Rana, Mr. E Nandakumar, Ms. Parul Goel, Mr. B.B. Singh, Dr. Nupur Bahadur, Mr. Chetan Shukla and Ms. Saiba Gupta.
Technical Session II – “Industrial Water Efficiency & Circular Manufacturing” focused on Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), industrial water audits, benchmarking, resource recovery, ESG and sustainability objectives, financing pathways and technology adoption. The session featured Mohita Taneja, Jaimeen Trivedi, Ramveer Tanwar, Dr. Manish Kumar and Sumit De, and was chaired and moderated by Punnia Viswan, Co-Founder & CEO, Edha Sustainability Solutions LLP, Dr. Tania Ray Bhattacharya, Founder CEO of The Celestial Earth.
The third session, “Leadership Talk: Innovation & Smart Technologies for Water Management, Policy, Governance and Green Finance,” explored the role of AI, IoT, smart metering, digital water systems, automation, technology collaboration, green finance and public-private partnerships in transforming the water sector. The session featured Vishwa Patel Ruwala, Vineeta Shetty, Dr. Ankita Menon, Dr. Anuradha Maan, Rina Kanchan, Bhagyashree Rath, Dr. Chandni Rallan and Dr. Supriya Sharma, with Navya Singh, Founder, News with Navya, as Chair and Moderator.
The concluding technical session, “Industry–Academia–Government Collaboration for Circular Solutions,” highlighted opportunities for collaboration in efficient irrigation, groundwater recharge, watershed management and treated wastewater reuse. The session brought together Dr. Mansi Tripathi, Sasanka Velidandla, Dr. Mahreen Matto and Tushar Kansal, and was chaired and moderated by Dr. Gyanendra Kumar, Founder & CEO, SustainAble Solutions.
The discussions underscored the need to move towards a circular water economy, where wastewater is treated as a valuable resource and technological innovation is integrated with effective governance, financing and community participation.
The summit also highlighted the importance of creating stronger pathways for technology deployment, policy alignment, investment and knowledge-sharing, particularly to support cities and industries facing increasing pressure on water resources. PHDCCI reiterated its commitment to fostering meaningful partnerships across government, business, academia and civil society to accelerate the adoption of innovative and sustainable water-management solutions and contribute towards a water-secure, resilient and sustainable India.