The Embassy of Israel in India, in collaboration with TiE Dehradun, IIT Roorkee, and UPES Dehradun, successfully organised a two-day Water Innovation Conference in Uttarakhand on May 17-18. Highlighting the significance of the event, Naor Gilon, the Ambassador of Israel to India, expressed pride in hosting the Water Innovation Conference alongside their Indian partners. Emphasizing the strong bond between the two countries, Gilon underscored the importance of water security as a key aspect of their cooperation.
“Israel is a leader in the global water sector, and we are happy to share our advanced and cutting-edge water technologies, know-how and expertise with the people of India. We look forward to working closely with all our partners in India as we continue enhancing our relations and bilateral cooperation in diverse fields,” he said.
He expressed enthusiasm for continued collaboration and strengthening bilateral ties across various domains.
The conference brought together esteemed experts, startups, academicians, and researchers from the water technology sector in Israel and India. Sessions and panel discussions centred on Israel-India collaboration, showcasing innovative solutions from Israel, and exploring partnership opportunities for startups in the water field.
Distinguished guest speaker Professor Hadas Mamane, a renowned water specialist from Tel Aviv University, delivered the keynote address at the conference.
Professor Mamane, who heads the Environmental Engineering Program and the Water-Technology Laboratory at the university, shared her expertise and insights with the attendees.
Dr Lior Asaf, Water Attache at the Embassy of Israel in India, also participated in the conference, providing valuable knowledge and experiences related to Israel's water management model, cutting-edge technologies, research and development implementation, and the Israel-India water partnership. India remains the only country where Israel has a Water Attache position dedicated to sharing Israeli best practices and technologies, with a focus on advancing India's water management sector.
Assisting in the organization of the conference, Doron Gidony, Innovation Attache at the Embassy of Israel in India, collaborated closely with TiE Dehradun. The conference took place at two prominent universities in Uttarakhand, further extending the reach of the event.
The first part of the conference was held on May 17 at IIT Roorkee, which enjoys a strong partnership with the Embassy of Israel in India. Recently, the two countries signed a Joint Statement of Intent to establish a Center of Water Technology at IIT Roorkee. The second part of the conference took place at UPES Dehradun on May 18.
The Water Innovation Conference served as a platform for fruitful exchanges of knowledge, ideas, and collaboration opportunities between Israeli and Indian stakeholders in the water technology sector.