India-Netherlands Water Sector Cooperation Strengthened with Kalpasar Project MoUs
Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri C. R. Patil and Netherlands Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management H.E. Mr. Jaap Slootmaker chaired a bilateral meeting on the Strategic Partnership on Water at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on the sidelines of the 9th India International Water Week 2026. The meeting included Minister of State for Jal Shakti Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Gujarat Minister for Water Resources Shri Ishwarsinh Patel, Secretaries of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Water Resources departments, Central Water Commission Chairman, and the Netherlands Ambassador.
Two tripartite Memoranda of Understanding were signed between Central Water Commission, Kalpasar Department (Government of Gujarat), and Dutch knowledge institutions Deltares and TU Delft. The MoUs facilitate technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat, which envisages creation of a freshwater reservoir using runoff from Sabarmati, Mahi and Dhadhar rivers supplemented by water conveyed from the Narmada River.
The cooperation builds on a Letter of Intent signed on 16 May 2026 following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Netherlands. During an Indian delegation's visit to the Netherlands in July 2026, insights were gained in flood protection, coastal infrastructure, hydraulic modelling, sluice and pumping systems, dyke technologies and ecological solutions. Dutch officials highlighted parallels with the nearly 100-year-old Afsluitdijk infrastructure, offering century of accumulated experience.
The technical collaboration specifically covers hydraulic and hydrological modelling, coastal and structural engineering, climate resilience, capacity building, knowledge transfer and digital applications. Netherlands Vice Minister emphasized the importance of sharing lessons learned in areas such as ecology and fish migration, while Indian officials expressed confidence that the MoUs provide a strong basis for successful project execution.