Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil and Netherlands Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Jaap Slootmaker met in New Delhi on Thursday and discussed strengthening India-Netherlands cooperation in the water sector.

The two ministers held a bilateral meeting on the strategic partnership on water-related issues at Bharat Mandapam, on the sidelines of the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026.

Focus on Kalpasar Project

According to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the meeting provided an opportunity to review and further strengthen India-Netherlands cooperation in the water sector, with special focus on advancing technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat.

As part of the bilateral coordination, two tripartite Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to streamline cooperation for the Kalpasar Project. The agreements were signed between the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Kalpasar Department of the Government of Gujarat, and Dutch knowledge institutions Deltares and TU Delft.

C.R. Patil Highlights MoUs

Speaking on the occasion, C.R. Patil said he was pleased to see Deltares and TU Delft signing MoUs with their Indian partners to deepen cooperation in the implementation of the Kalpasar Project and capacity building.

He expressed confidence that the agreements would provide a strong foundation for the two countries to work together towards successfully completing the project.

Patil said the Kalpasar Project was discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands in May, following which a Letter of Intent for technical cooperation was signed on May 16.

Freshwater Reservoir Planned Under Kalpasar Project

He said the project envisages creating a freshwater reservoir by utilising excess water (run-off) from the Sabarmati, Mahi and Dhadhar rivers, along with water brought from the Narmada River.

He also said that during the Indian delegation’s visit to the Netherlands in July, valuable insights were gained in areas including flood protection, coastal infrastructure, hydraulic modelling, sluice and pumping systems, dyke technologies and environmental solutions.

Patil said there were useful similarities with the Afsluitdijk in the Netherlands, particularly in terms of engineering, water management and coastal infrastructure.

Netherlands Deputy Minister Highlights Cooperation

Deputy Minister Jaap Slootmaker highlighted the importance of the Letter of Intent for technical cooperation on the Kalpasar Project and the opportunities it offers to advance India-Netherlands cooperation.

Referring to the Afsluitdijk, he said the structure is nearly 100 years old and is now being renovated. This, he said, would provide the Netherlands with an opportunity to share the experience and knowledge accumulated over the past century.

The Ministry said the MoUs would facilitate technical cooperation by sharing Dutch expertise and advanced engineering practices for the planning, design and implementation of the project.