India, Netherlands ink MoUs for technical cooperation on Kalpasar Project in Gujarat

New Delhi: India and the Netherlands on Thursday reviewed and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the water sector, with a particular focus on technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil and Netherlands Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Jaap Slootmaker co-chaired the bilateral meeting on the India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership on Water at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026.

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), the Kalpasar Department of the Government of Gujarat, and Dutch knowledge institutions Deltares and TU Delft.

Speaking on the occasion, Patil said he was pleased to see Deltares and TU Delft entering into MoUs with their Indian counterparts to deepen cooperation on the execution of the Kalpasar Project and capacity building.

He expressed confidence that the agreements would provide a strong foundation for India and the Netherlands to work together towards the successful implementation of the project.

Patil 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.

He 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.

Patil said there were useful parallels between the Kalpasar Project and the Afsluitdijk in the Netherlands, particularly in engineering, water management and coastal infrastructure.

Slootmaker highlighted the importance of the Letter of Intent on technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project and the opportunities it offers to further strengthen India-Netherlands cooperation.

Referring to the Afsluitdijk, he said the structure is nearly 100 years old and is now being renewed, providing an opportunity for the Netherlands to share the experience and knowledge accumulated over the past century.

He added that Dutch institutions, including Deltares and TU Delft, would contribute their expertise through the MoUs, laying the foundation for further collaboration in the water sector. He also emphasised the importance of sharing lessons, 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.

The 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. DeshGujarat