Indian and South African experts discuss global water challenges at symposium

Johannesburg, Jun 5 (PTI) A partnership between Indian water management pioneer Ion Exchange and its South African counterpart Safic is the kind of business model the Indian government is encouraging for the benefit of citizens of other countries, Indian Consul General in Johannesburg Mahesh Kumar said on Thursday.

Addressing a two-day symposium hosted by Ion Exchange Safic, a subsidiary of Ion Exchange (India) Ltd which provides integrated water and environmental solutions in South Africa and the region, Kumar said, "We always suggest Indian companies going abroad that they should pursue the bigger objective. The profits will follow." The symposium brought together more than 100 industry leaders, engineers, utility managers, contractors and water professionals to explore cutting-edge solutions for sustainable water management in South Africa and the broader African region.

The event featured talks by experts and panel discussions to address some of the most pressing challenges in water and waste water treatment.

"Water scarcity is a crisis confronting both South Africa, India and a lot of other countries. The spectre of Day Zero and water stress affecting 11 of South Africa's major cities underscore the critical nature of this issue," Kumar said, adding that a similar number of Indian cities were also affected.

Citing India's water programmes, Kumar said more than 80 per cent of India's municipalities have adopted practices such as water reuse, metering and digital water governance.

"Our Smart Cities projects employ cutting-edge technologies, including leak detection mechanisms, to optimise water distribution systems. Indian enterprises harness Artificial Intelligence for water auditing," he said, adding that these initiatives could be scaled globally.

The diplomat said that Ion Exchange, like most of the other 150 Indian companies invested in South Africa, was also contributing towards skills development.

"The water sector is a significant driver of employment. It is imperative that both South Africa and India invest in training youth in water management technologies," Kumar said, expressing confidence that the symposium would be the start of greater cooperation between India and South Africa. PTI RUK RUK