New Delhi, May 29, 2025 – In a significant step forward for sustainable water management, the Royal Danish Embassy held a press meeting to highlight ongoing water cooperation under the Green Strategic Partnership (GSP) between Denmark and India. The briefing underscored Denmark’s commitment to promoting innovation, capacity building, and technology transfer in India’s water sector.
This partnership aims to advance sustainable water solutions through multi-level cooperation-ranging from central and state governments to municipalities and academic institutions. It supports India’s transition towards a water-secure future by combining Danish innovation with Indian expertise.
“We are very proud to partner with India when it comes to water. Efficient water management and dealing with water resources are focus areas which both India and Denmark have a very strong interest in and something we will cooperate on going forward,” said Ambassador of Denmark to India, H.E. Rasmus A. Kristensen.
A Shared Vision for a Water-Secure Future
Under the Green Strategic Partnership, India and Denmark are working closely across multiple levels—government-to-government, city-to-city, and institution-to-institution. The key themes and objectives of the partnership include:
- Sustainable Water Management
- Smart water metering
- Energy-efficient wastewater treatment
- Groundwater monitoring
- Stormwater capture
- Energy efficient and smart water supply
- Technology Transfer and Local Adaptation: Danish models are tailored to Indian needs through pilot projects, capacity building, and institutional partnerships.
- Circular Economy: Danish expertise supports India’s shift towards energy-positive water infrastructure and improved resource efficiency.
This meeting served as a platform to discuss updates on flagship initiatives such as:
- Smart Lab for Clean Rivers (Varanasi): Leveraging real-time monitoring, decision support systems, and nature-based treatment for river rejuvenation.
- Wastewater Plant Optimisation (Delhi): Demonstrating how digital monitoring can achieve energy-neutral operations.
- Non-Revenue Water Reduction (Pune): Piloting Denmark’s LEAKman solution for reducing urban water loss.
- Seep Amber Irrigation Project (Madhya Pradesh): Enabling equitable distribution of water to the region’s farmers while promoting sustainable irrigation and farming practices
- Strategic Sector Corporation Projects (Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Assam): Supporting Jal Jeevan Mission and AMRUT 2.0 through digital tools, training, supporting policy frameworks and sustainable planning.
These initiatives underscore the potential of adapted Danish water solutions to address India’s evolving water needs in both urban and rural settings.
Technology, Training and Trust
The collaboration is marked by a strong emphasis on local adaptation, ensuring that Danish models are tailored to India’s diverse conditions. Training programs, study tours, joint pilots, and academic partnerships are central to building long-term capacity.
An example of this is the collaboration between the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and Innovation Centre Denmark (ICDK) on the Water Challenge Initiative. This initiative supports young Indian talents in co-developing solutions in Denmark and applying them in local contexts.
A Model for Global Water Cooperation
The Indo-Danish partnership has emerged as a leading example of cross-country cooperation in climate-resilient water governance. With Denmark being the only country partnering directly with the Government of India on the Jal Jeevan Mission, the collaboration continues to set benchmarks in sustainable water planning.
Source & Image Courtesy: Embassy of Denmark in India
