Gandhinagar: During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands, India and the Netherlands exchanged a Letter of Intent (LoI) for technical cooperation on Gujarat’s ambitious Kalpasar Project, strengthening bilateral collaboration in water management and infrastructure development.

The Kalpasar Project aims to connect Saurashtra with South Gujarat through the Gulf of Khambhat while creating a massive freshwater reservoir. Conceived decades ago, the project is currently undergoing surveys and feasibility studies. Notably, the concept was inspired by the historic dyke and coastal enclosure systems developed in the northern Netherlands.

Referring to the meeting between PM Modi and the Dutch Prime Minister, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both leaders agreed to deepen cooperation on the Kalpasar Project, noting that Dutch expertise and technical assistance could further strengthen the two countries’ strategic partnership in the water sector.

BOOST FOR KALPSAR PROJECT IN GUJARAT: Accompanied by Netherlands PM Rob Jetten, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the iconic Afsluitdijk Dam, a symbol of Dutch excellence in water management, flood protection and freshwater storage. The visit highlights the relevance of… https://t.co/9bJDfNXkL7 pic.twitter.com/zJ0N1Titpm

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) May 17, 2026

An area in which the Netherlands has done pioneering work is water resources. There is a lot the entire global community can learn from them.

This morning, I had the opportunity to visit the Afsluitdijk and understand the salient features of this project. I am thankful to PM… pic.twitter.com/dYFfiAuzKZ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 17, 2026

According to the MEA, a Letter of Intent was exchanged between India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management for technical cooperation related to the Gujarat project.

Another significant agreement during the visit focused on cooperation for the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal in Gujarat. Recalling the long-standing maritime ties between the two countries, the MEA said both sides welcomed an MoU between the National Maritime Museum of Amsterdam and India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to support the project.

The visit also saw collaboration involving IIT Gandhinagar under a semiconductor research initiative. The two nations welcomed a Memorandum of Cooperation between Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Twente, and six leading Indian institutions — IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Guwahati and IIT Madras — to create a “brain bridge” in semiconductors and related technologies. Industry partners include NXP, ASML, Tata and CG Semi, with the initiative expected to boost research, innovation and talent development through academia-industry collaboration. DeshGujarat