Israel-India Business Guide - Agriculture &Water
32
Water Management in India
I
ndia’s relations with Israel have grown from the
recognition of Israel by the Government of India in 1950
to the establishment of full-fledged diplomatic relations
in 1992. Today our engagement is much beyond commerce
and trade; it extends to cultural exchanges and people to
people contacts between the two nations. Both countries
face similar challenges when it comes to availability and
use of water and there exists immense opportunities for
engagement on research, technology transfer, capacity-
building and promotion of joint ventures.
The geography of Israel is diverse with Negev Desert
occupying the southern part, a coastal plain alongside
the Mediterranean Sea on the west, mountains and hills
of Galilee in the north and the Jordan Valley on the west.
Rainfall varies temporally and spatially with the northern
regions receiving an annual average rainfall of 900 mm
which reduces to 30mm in the south. Given this backdrop,
the country had faced major challenges in ensuring water
availability for agriculture and domestic use.
Israeli innovations in water technology can assist
India
Israel has pioneered several innovations in water
technology which can serve as useful learning for India.
The country has been a global leader in the field of drip
irrigation and desalination, two ventures for which it
has contributed pioneering technology. Its approach of
treating municipal wastewater and using it for irrigation
had reduced the dependence on freshwater for irrigation.
India and Israel have developed joint initiatives in the field
of water management. Major Israeli companies in the field
of agricultural and water technologies have established
Indian subsidiaries and developed long-term projects
with Indian business partners. Netafim Irrigation India,
NaanDanJain and Plastro-Plasson Industries (India) Ltd.
(PPIL) are some of the examples in this regard.
In the desalination sphere, Israeli companies specialize in
the development, engineering, production and operation
of advanced desalination systems and innovative water
and cooling industrial solutions. IDE Technologies Ltd,
based in Israel, has set up 22 thermal desalination facilities
in the industrial sector with a total installed capacity of
approximately 270,000 cubic meter/day.
Indian companies and official delegations including
business delegations from FICCI have visited past editions
of Agritech and WATEC. A large number of professionals
have benefited from the training and exchange
programmes conducted by Centre for International
Cooperation (MASHAV), Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Joint Declaration on Cooperation and New Funds
Both thecountrieshave set up joint industrial R&Dfund“i4RD”
to promote bilateral industrial research and development
(R&D) and specific projects through funding by the industry.
This is part of a MoU between the Department of Science
and Technology, Government of India and Ministry of
Industry Trade and Labour, Government of Israel. There
exists a joint declaration for long-term collaboration in
technologies related to water, waste-water and sewage
management between the two countries.
Israel’s national water company Mekorot, is providing
its expertise in water treatment to the concerned
government organization in Greater Mumbai. In August
2013, Government of Rajasthan and Mekorot signed
an MOU for joint development of waste water reuse
capabilities and infrastructure facilities for t he agriculture
sector in Rajasthan.
Into the future …
India and Israel recently celebrated 20 years of
establishment of diplomatic ties. Since establishment of
diplomatic relations between India and Israel in 1992,
bilateral trade has grown in volume, from US$ 200
million in 1992 to US$ 4393 billion in 2013. Cooperation
in water management can be the next milestone of
our engagement with Israel which takes forward our
traditional business linkages which has been in areas
of diamonds, agriculture, chemicals, information and
communication technology and pharmaceuticals.
The Author is a Director in Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
India-Israel Cooperation
inWater Management
Recent Joint Declaration for collaboration in technology propels new projects
Dr. Arnab Kumar Hazra
Water
