IFAT India 2026 opens in Mumbai as government and industry focus on water security, sanitation and circular resource management
The 13th edition brings together government representatives, municipal leaders, industry experts and technology providers to address India’s water, wastewater, waste management and recycling priorities
Mumbai, 9 September 2026: The 13th edition of IFAT India, the country’s largest trade fair for water, sewage, solid waste management and recycling solutions, opened today at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (NESCO), Mumbai.
The opening brought together Smt. Agnimitra Paul, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal, Smt. Isha Kalia, IAS Joint Secretary & Mission Director (NULM & PM SVANidhi), Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and senior representatives from state governments, municipal bodies, diplomatic missions, professional associations, international networks and the environmental technology industry.
Across the three-day event, IFAT India 2026 provides a platform for discussions, technology showcases and industry–government engagement around water security, wastewater management, sanitation, municipal solid waste, recycling and circular resource management. The programme is designed to help public- and private-sector decision-makers assess solutions, compare approaches and build partnerships for projects across the water and waste value chains.
Bhupinder Singh, President IMEA, Messe München GmbH, and CEO, Messe Muenchen India, said, “India’s environmental infrastructure needs solutions that can perform reliably at scale. IFAT India connects public authorities, industry and technology providers to evaluate these solutions, exchange implementation experience and build partnerships for projects across the water and waste sectors.”
Opening dialogue puts implementation at the centre
The inauguration was followed by a fireside conversation moderated by •Prabal Bhardwaj, Partner – Health, Human & Social Services (HHSS) Government & Public Services (G&PS), KPMG in India with Smt. Agnimitra Paul. The discussion placed urban infrastructure delivery at the centre of the opening day agenda, connecting policy priorities with the practical requirements of cities, utilities and project teams.
Smt. Agnimitra Paul, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal, said, “IFAT India has given us an excellent opportunity to explore new technologies and understand best practices in solid waste and wastewater management from India and around the world. We are keen to identify solutions that can be effectively implemented in West Bengal and strengthen the way our cities manage these critical areas.”
Smt. Isha Kalia, IAS Joint Secretary & Mission Director (NULM & PM SVANidhi) Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, said, “With technologies and innovations across water, wastewater, pumps, networks and sludge management under one roof, there is a lot to understand and explore at IFAT India. As the sector evolves rapidly, all stakeholders need to stay aware of new developments and adapt the right solutions to local needs.”
Senior public-sector and institutional participation
The inauguration ceremony brought together senior government officials, municipal leaders, diplomats and representatives of leading national and international sector organisations. Key participants included:
• Shri S. Suresh Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh
• Dr. T. K. Sreedevi, IAS, Secretary, Municipal Administration, and Director General, National Institute of Urban Management
• Dr. Vipin Sharma, IAS, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Government of Maharashtra
• Shri T. Anand, IAS, Managing Director, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Government of Tamil Nadu
• Shri Radhabinod Sharma, IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation, Government of Maharashtra
• Shri Mayank Mittal, IAS, Joint Managing Director, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Government of Telangana
• Smt. Shwetali Abhijit Thakare, Chairman, Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority
• Dr. Jairaj Phatak, IAS (Retd.), Director General, All India Institute of Local Self-Government
• Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, IFAT Advisory NAC Committee; Advisor, National Institute of Urban Affairs; and former Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga
• Mr. Dalbir Singh, Chief Engineer, Delhi Jal Board
• Smt. Utkarsha Kavadi, Senior Executive Director, All India Institute of Local Self-Government
Diplomatic and international representatives at the opening included Walter Ferrara, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai; Nabil Taouati, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in India; Monica Ommundsen Nagelgaard, Consul General of Norway; Dong-wan Yoo, Consul General of the Republic of Korea; Christoph Rendtorff, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Mumbai; Kerstin Peckl, Deputy Trade Commissioner, Republic of Austria in India; and Dr. Lena Robra, Head of Academic Engagement at Swissnex, Consulate General of Switzerland.
The ceremony also saw participation from the All India Institute of Local Self-Government, ASSOCHAM National Water Council, Builders’ Association of India, German Water Partnership, German Recycling Technologies and Waste Management Partnership, GIZ India, International Solid Waste Association, International Water Association, Indian Water Works Association, Material Recycling Association of India, National Solid Waste Association of India, SWAN India Alliance, TERI Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse, KPMG in India and IFAT Worldwide.
A working marketplace for environmental infrastructure
Organised by Messe Muenchen India, IFAT India 2026 brings together more than 500 exhibitors from more than 30 countries across three exhibition halls. Six country pavilions represent China, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Norway and the Netherlands.
Across the exhibition floor, visitors can evaluate technologies and services for water and wastewater treatment, water reuse, sewerage and sanitation, collection and transport, sorting and recycling, waste-to-energy, resource recovery, air pollution control, environmental monitoring and digital operations.
Focused industry areas include the SWAN Digital Water Pavilion, IWA Pavilion, Urban Local Bodies Pavilion, Smarter SME Pavilion and Start-up Pavilion. Together, these formats connect established technology providers, emerging companies, utilities, municipal bodies and project stakeholders with a range of procurement and implementation needs.
Knowledge programme addresses finance, delivery and scale
The exhibition is supported by a multi-stage knowledge programme covering the policy, financing, technology and operating questions shaping environmental infrastructure in India:
• Blue Stage: water investment, treated wastewater reuse, utility transformation, blended finance, digitalisation, community participation and the shift from compliance-led action to systematic water stewardship.
• Orange Stage: urban sanitation, the Swachhata movement, municipal waste management, biogas, collection and recycling systems, RDF and waste-to-fuel applications, the climate economy and Indian Railways’ circularity and net-zero journey.
• Green Stage: organised recycling ecosystems, state- and city-led circular economy initiatives, technology and traceability in e-waste recovery, plastics, advanced recycling, finance for circular infrastructure, and the fashion and textile value chain.
• Speakers’ Corner: expert-led sessions on water and wastewater innovation, India–Netherlands collaboration, Zero Liquid Discharge, membrane technologies, industrial wastewater treatment, digital water management, resource recovery and the economic potential of sludge and waste-to-resource projects.
• Second Round Table of Chief Engineers’ Forum organised by AIILSG Mumbai with support from AMRUT 2.0 of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India: This will be held on Day 1 of the event and address practical delivery challenges in water supply, wastewater, sanitation and solid waste infrastructure, with attention to project execution, technology selection, adoption and long-term operational performance.
• National Conference organized by AIILSG Mumbai in partnership with UNICEF India: This will be held on Day 2 of the event and will focus on convergent planning for scaling up sanitation and waste management across rural and urban India.
The Young Professionals Group of the International Solid Waste Association is also hosting a special session on a proposed University Challenge. Being developed in association with Prof. Anupam Singh, the initiative aims to encourage participation from students and young professionals and connect research with industry priorities.
As IFAT India 2026 continues through 11 September, the trade fair will enable municipal authorities, utilities, industries, project developers and solution providers to move discussions from policy priorities to practical implementation. Through technology demonstrations, expert-led sessions and structured business interactions, the three-day platform aims to support informed technology selection, stronger partnerships and more effective delivery of India’s water, sanitation, waste management and circular resource projects.
