A Ministry of Jal Shakti delegation led by Secretary K. V. L. Kantha Rao visited the Netherlands to strengthen India-Netherlands cooperation in water management and hold technical consultations on Gujarat’s Kalpasar Project. The visit focused on water technology, climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure and Dutch expertise in flood management.
Key Highlights
- A Jal Shakti Ministry delegation visited the Netherlands from July 14–17 to strengthen water cooperation.
- Technical consultations were held on Gujarat’s ambitious Kalpasar Project.
- The delegation met Dutch officials and experts at RVO, TU Delft and Deltares.
- Field visits included the Afsluitdijk project, showcasing Dutch expertise in water management.
Amsterdam, July 22: A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Jal Shakti, led by Secretary K. V. L. Kantha Rao, visited the Netherlands from July 14 to 17, 2026, to strengthen bilateral cooperation in water management and conduct technical consultations on the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat.
According to the Embassy of India in the Netherlands, the delegation held discussions with Jaap Slootmaker, Director General at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and interacted with experts from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), TU Delft, and Deltares to exchange knowledge on advanced water management technologies and sustainable infrastructure.
The Indian team also undertook field visits, including a tour of the Afsluitdijk, one of the Netherlands’ landmark water engineering projects. The visit provided an opportunity to study Dutch expertise in flood protection, water storage, coastal resilience and hydraulic engineering, areas that are relevant to India’s long-term water resource planning.
The technical consultations focused on the Kalpasar Project, a proposed mega infrastructure initiative in Gujarat aimed at creating a freshwater reservoir and dam across the Gulf of Khambhat. The project seeks to enhance water security, improve irrigation, support drinking water supply, and contribute to regional economic development.
The visit builds on the momentum generated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands in May 2026, when he toured the Afsluitdijk Dam with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi praised the Netherlands for its pioneering work in water resource management, stating that countries around the world, including India, have much to learn from Dutch expertise.
The Prime Minister had also highlighted India’s efforts to adopt modern technologies for irrigation, flood control, and the expansion of the inland waterways network. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit underscored the relevance of Dutch engineering expertise for the Kalpasar Project and opened new opportunities for collaboration in climate resilience, water technology, and sustainable infrastructure development.
The latest visit by the Jal Shakti Ministry delegation reflects the growing strategic partnership between India and the Netherlands in the field of water management. As India advances large-scale projects such as Kalpasar, cooperation with Dutch institutions is expected to play a vital role in strengthening water security, climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure development.
