At IFAT India 2025, held from 14–16 October in Mumbai innovation flowed freely as industry leaders, policymakers and technologists explored the future of water management. At the heart of the event, the SWAN Digital Pavilion became a hub of collaboration and insight. What unfolded was more than a technical conversation, it was a glimpse into the future of how we measure, manage and value water in an increasingly interconnected world.
Smart Water Monitoring and Tracking Systems
The first SWAN faciliated session set the tone for a day of innovation, exploring how technology and data are quietly transforming the invisible layers of water infrastructure. What stood out most was how each speaker’s perspective complemented the others, collectively revealing a nuanced understanding of India’s evolving smart water sector. Andreas Roser’s (NIVUS) explanation of ISO 27001-compliant cybersecurity framework and Vodafone partnership underscored that digital transformation is about control as much as connectivity. His focus on audits, testing and private VPNs illustrated how secure communication forms the backbone of dependable infrastructure.
Sanjeev Gogia (Aaxis Nano) added that transparent operations turn data accuracy into accountability, linking security and trust as pillars of digital credibility. It was interesting to note how both leaders connected security and transparency as twin pillars of digital credibility. Amiett Behl (HWM) then grounded the discussion in practicality, arguing that technology must “pay for itself.” His vision of localised manufacturing reflected a pragmatic understanding of India’s market realities, where affordability cannot come at the cost of reliability. Sadanand Sawant’s work on smart irrigation at Sai Sanket showed how Israeli precision blends with Indian adaptability, grounding global innovation in local context.
The session revealed more than technical expertise, it reflected a shared mindset that India’s smart water future depends on merging innovation with context, where progress is strategic, relational and deeply human.
AI, Digital Twins and Data-Driven Water Management
The second session unfolded as an exploration of how intelligence, both human and digital, is reshaping the future of water. It revealed not isolated innovations, but a connected narrative where AI, digital twins and data ecosystems converge to redefine how cities and industries think about water.
Asim Bhalerao (Fluid Analytics) demonstrated how computer vision and AI compress decision timelines, transforming inspection data into actionable insights and improving inspection accuracy by 40%. Ganesh Shankar (FluxGen) echoed this with his “Rainwater Intelligence” platform, which digitises rainwater harvesting to cut usage by 30%. Both underscored that smart systems succeed not by replacing human judgment, but by amplifying it, where data becomes a partner in intuition rather than its substitute.
Vallan Pillay (Sand Technologies) showed how digital twins have matured into global frameworks optimising wastewater systems across 50 countries. His focus on stakeholder engagement and robust data resonated with Gokul Krishna (SmartTerra), whose AI-ML platform works within India’s fragmented utility landscape. SmartTerra’s success in reducing non-revenue water by 43% points in Pune and predicting leaks in Coimbatore proved that imperfect data can still drive meaningful results.
Santosh Bendkhale (DBD Water Systems) then bridged industrial precision with municipal complexity through the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) Smart Water Pilot, harmonising “63 smart water meter protocols in 32 languages across 23 countries.” His demonstration of interoperability formed the link between innovation and implementation, an insight extended by Punita Manocha (Bentley Systems) who described digital twins as enablers of resilience.
Together, the discussion revealed that digital transformation in water is as philosophical as it is technical, an ecosystem where precision meets empathy, data meets design and human adaptability remains the core of sustainability.
Reflections on Innovation and Pathways Forward
Attending the SWAN Digital Pavilion was both enlightening and motivating, a reminder that the move toward smarter, sustainable water management is well underway, and with collaboration at its heart, the future of urban water systems looks promising.
The sessions revealed a decisive evolution in how the water industry envisions progress, no longer about isolated tools but about interconnected ecosystems where sensors, software and human expertise converge. The takeaway was clear: digital transformation in the water sector is not just about smarter tools, it’s about reimagining systems to be adaptive, inclusive and enduring in the face of future challenges.
