IIWW 2026: India and Netherlands Sign MoUs for Technical Cooperation on the Kalpasar Project

India and the Netherlands strengthened their water sector partnership at the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The bilateral meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil and Dutch Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Jaap Slootmaker, with a special focus on advancing technical cooperation for Gujarat's Kalpasar Project.

IIWW 2026: Two MoUs Signed Between India and Netherlands for Kalpasar Water Project

As part of this engagement, two Tripartite Memoranda of Understanding were signed involving the Central Water Commission, the Kalpasar Department of the Government of Gujarat, and Dutch knowledge institutions Deltares and TU Delft. Minister Patil said he was glad to see these institutions partnering with their Indian counterparts, expressing confidence that the agreements would support the successful execution of the project along with capacity building efforts.

Key Discussions Under the IIWW 2026 India-Netherlands Kalpasar Project MoU

1. The Kalpasar Project first came up during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Netherlands in May 2026, leading to a Letter of Intent for technical cooperation signed on May 16, 2026. 
2. The project aims to build a freshwater reservoir using runoff from the Sabarmati, Mahi, and Dhadhar rivers, along with water brought in from the Narmada. 
3. During a follow-up visit by an Indian delegation to the Netherlands in July 2026, Indian officials gained useful insights on flood protection, coastal infrastructure, sluice and pumping systems, and dyke technologies, drawing comparisons with the Netherlands' century-old Afsluitdijk structure, which is currently being renewed.

How is the India-Netherlands MoU important for India?

These MoUs will allow India to tap into decades of Dutch expertise in coastal engineering, hydraulic modelling, and climate-resilient infrastructure for the Kalpasar Project. The cooperation with Deltares covers technical review, hydraulic and hydrological modelling, structural engineering, and knowledge transfer, while also addressing ecological concerns such as fish migration. This partnership can help India build stronger technical capacity for large-scale water projects and apply proven global solutions to its own infrastructure challenges.