Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi accompanied by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, H.E. Rob Jetten visited the iconic Dutch water management structure, the Afsluitdijk.
The visit underscored the shared commitment of both nations to innovative water management solutions, climate resilience, and sustainable infrastructure. The Afsluitdijk, a 32-kilometer-long dam and causeway, is a global benchmark in flood control and land reclamation, protecting large parts of the Netherlands from the North Sea while enabling freshwater storage.
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.
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.
In a social media post PM Modi said, “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 Rob Jetten for accompanying me here.We are working to bring modern technology to India aimed at helping in irrigation, flood control and expanding the inland waterway network.”
