New Delhi: Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Patil and Netherlands Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Jaap Slootmaker chaired a bilateral meeting on the India–Netherlands Strategic Partnership on Water at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on the sidelines of the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026.
The meeting reviewed and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the water sector, with a particular focus on technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat.
As part of the engagement, two Tripartite Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to facilitate cooperation on the Kalpasar Project between the Central Water Commission (CWC), Kalpasar Department of the Government of Gujarat, and Dutch knowledge institutions Deltares and TU Delft.
Speaking on the occasion, C. R. Patil welcomed the collaboration between Deltares, TU Delft and their Indian counterparts, saying the MoUs would strengthen cooperation in the execution of the Kalpasar Project and capacity building. He expressed confidence that the agreements would provide a strong foundation for both countries to work towards the successful implementation of the project.
The Minister noted that the Kalpasar Project was discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands in May 2026, following which a Letter of Intent for technical cooperation was signed on May 16, 2026.
The project envisages the creation of a freshwater reservoir using runoff from the Sabarmati, Mahi and Dhadhar rivers, supplemented by water conveyed from the Narmada River.
Patil also highlighted the Indian delegation’s visit to the Netherlands in July 2026, during which it gained insights into flood protection, coastal infrastructure, hydraulic modelling, sluice and pumping systems, dyke technologies and ecological solutions.
He pointed to useful parallels between the proposed project and the Netherlands’ Afsluitdijk, particularly in the fields of engineering, water management and coastal infrastructure.
Netherlands Vice Minister Jaap Slootmaker highlighted the importance of the Letter of Intent and the new MoUs in expanding India–Netherlands cooperation in the water sector. Referring to the Afsluitdijk, he said the nearly century-old structure is now being renewed, providing an opportunity for the Netherlands to share the knowledge and experience accumulated over decades.
He said institutions including Deltares and TU Delft would bring their expertise to the partnership and stressed the importance of sharing lessons learned, particularly in areas such as ecology and fish migration.
The MoUs will facilitate technical collaboration through the sharing of Dutch expertise and advanced engineering practices for the planning, design and implementation of the Kalpasar Project. Cooperation with Deltares will cover areas including technical review, hydraulic and hydrological modelling, coastal and structural engineering, climate resilience, capacity building, knowledge transfer and digital applications.
Several senior officials attended the meeting, including Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Gujarat Minister of State for Water Resources and Water Supply Ishwarsinh Patel, Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Ashok K. K. Meena, Water Resources Secretary Archana Varma, Central Water Commission Chairman Anupam Prasad, and Netherlands Ambassador Marisa Gerards.