India and the Netherlands have further strengthened their strategic partnership in the water sector with a focus on technical cooperation, knowledge exchange and capacity building. The bilateral engagement took place on the sidelines of the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Union Minister for Jal Shakti C. R. Patil and Netherlands Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Jaap Slootmaker chaired the bilateral meeting, which focused particularly on advancing technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat. The discussions covered opportunities to strengthen collaboration in water management, engineering and climate-resilient infrastructure.
As part of the engagement, two tripartite Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the Central Water Commission (CWC), Kalpasar Department of the Government of Gujarat, Deltares and TU Delft. The agreements are aimed at facilitating technical collaboration and capacity building for the planning, design and implementation of the Kalpasar Project.
The Kalpasar 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. The 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.
During an Indian delegation’s visit to the Netherlands in July, officials gained insights into areas including flood protection, coastal infrastructure, hydraulic modelling, sluice and pumping systems, dyke technologies and ecological solutions. The Netherlands’ experience with the Afsluitdijk was also highlighted as a relevant reference in engineering and water-management cooperation.
The collaboration comes as IIWW 2026 brings together governments, international organisations, researchers, industry, innovators and other stakeholders under the theme “Climate Resilient Water Management.” The five-day event, being held from September 22 to 26, seeks to promote international cooperation, technology exchange and practical solutions for water security and climate resilience.