New Delhi, April 29 -- For decades, water quietly powered development. It irrigated farms, supported cities, enabled industry, and made rapid urbanisation possible. Unlike energy or transportation, it seldom featured in national strategy discussions. Water was seen as abundant, predictable, and part of the background infrastructure.

That assumption is changing fast.

Today, water is emerging not as a constraint, but as one of the greatest opportunities to design the next generation of intelligent, resilient, and inclusive growth systems. Population expansion, climate shifts, and rising consumption have changed the equation. At the same time, advancements in automation, digital engineering, and data-driven operations are giving us tools w...