PM Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten (Photo: X/Narendra Modi).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday visited the iconic Dutch water management project Afsluitdijk, a 32-kilometre-long dam and causeway that has become a global benchmark in flood control and land reclamation.
Modi was accompanied by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. The visit came at a time when the two countries had signed a Letter of Intent with regard to the Kalpasar project in Gujarat. The Letter of Intent was signed between India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management for technical cooperation.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “The visit underscored the shared commitment of both nations to innovative water management solutions, climate resilience, and sustainable infrastructure.”
“The visit to the Dam put a spotlight on the parallels between the Afsluitdijk and India’s ambitious Kalpasar project in the state of Gujarat. The Kalpasar project aims to create a freshwater reservoir across the Gulf of Khambhat, integrating tidal power generation, irrigation, and transportation infrastructure. In this regard, the two sides welcomed the signing of the Letter of Intent between Ministry of Jal Shakti of India and Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands for technical cooperation on the Kalpasar project,” it added.
“The two leaders noted that Dutch expertise in hydraulic engineering and India’s scale of implementation present opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships. The visit reaffirms the India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership on Water, highlighting shared commitment to innovation and sustainability,” the statement further stated.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India wants to use modern technology to help in irrigation, flood control, and expand inland waterways.
“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… We are working to bring modern technology to India aimed at helping in irrigation, flood control, and expanding the inland waterway network,” Modi said.
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The Netherlands prime minister also said that his country is looking forward to deepening cooperation in the water sector.
“If there’s one thing the Netherlands excels at, it is dealing with water. India has shown considerable interest in our expertise in the field of water management. We’re looking to deepen our cooperation in this area,” Jetten posted on X.
