SINGAPORE : India is seen as the next frontier for Singapore's water and waste treatment companies looking to expand their regional footprint beyond China.

And already, efforts are being made to help facilitate their access into the market.

While Singapore's water and waste management companies are expanding rapidly into China and the Middle East, India is a market that some firms are starting to look at.

These include Singapore Utilities International - PUB's commercial arm - and the Konzen Group.

They project that the Indian market will be ready for large-scale water or waste treatment projects within the next two years.

"We've formed a joint venture with Beijing University and they have very good quality technology for treating the worst kind of waste water - the residual water that comes out of landfills. We intend to bring this technology into India, which also has many landfill water treatment problems," said Yeong Wai Cheong, CEO of The Konzen Group.

Every year, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank offer some US$31 billion worth of business projects in developing countries.

And over the last five years, Singapore companies have only managed to secure less than one-hundredth of the pie.

"0.5% is a relatively low ratio, and that means there is tremendous potential for us to further improve that ratio," said Chua Taik Him, Deputy CEO of IE Singapore.

IE Singapore is already making efforts to help facilitate entry into the Indian market through a series of networking sessions between the private sector and Indian officials.

As part of the drive, the Asia Training and Research Initiative for Urban Management (ATRIUM) was launched in March jointly with the Asian Development Bank.

The programme aims to provide developing countries like India with expertise in urban master planning, water treatment and waste management.

Under ATRIUM, Singapore will provide up to US$1 million over the next three years to support joint collaboration activities.

This will be matched with a $2 million contribution by the Asian Development Bank. - CNA /ls