New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): Union Minister for Jal Shakti, CR Patil and Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands, HE Jaap Slootmaker, chaired a bilateral assembly between India and the Netherlands on the Strategic Partnership on Water at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on the sidelines of the ninth India International Water Week (IIWW) 2026.
Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Minister of State for Water Resources and Water Supply (Independent Charge), Government of Gujarat, Ishwarsinh Patel, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Ashok Okay.Okay. Meena, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Archana Varma, Chairman, Central Water Commission Anupam Prasad, Ambassador of the Netherlands HE Marisa Gerards and different senior officers have been additionally current.
The assembly supplied a chance to evaluation and additional strengthen India-Netherlands cooperation within the water sector with explicit concentrate on advancing technical cooperation for the Kalpasar Project in Gujarat. As a part of the bilateral engagement, two Tripartite Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed to facilitate cooperation for the Kalpasar Project between the Central Water Commission (CWC), Kalpasar Department, Government of Gujarat, and Dutch information establishments Deltares and TU Delft.
Speaking on the event, Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil mentioned that he was happy to see Deltares and TU Delft coming into into MoUs with their Indian counterparts to deepen cooperation within the execution of the Kalpasar Project and capability constructing. He expressed confidence that the MoUs would supply a powerful foundation for each international locations to work collectively in direction of the profitable execution of the challenge.
The Minister famous that the Kalpasar Project was mentioned throughout Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s go to to the Netherlands in May 2026, following which a Letter of Intent for technical cooperation was signed on 16 May 2026. He mentioned that the challenge envisages the creation of a freshwater reservoir utilizing runoff from the Sabarmati, Mahi and Dhadhar rivers, supplemented by water conveyed from the Narmada River.
CR Patil additional highlighted that throughout the Indian delegation’s go to to the Netherlands in July 2026, worthwhile insights have been obtained in areas together with flood safety, coastal infrastructure, hydraulic modelling, sluice and pumping methods, dyke applied sciences and ecological options. He famous that there have been helpful parallels with the Afsluitdijk within the Netherlands, notably when it comes to engineering, water administration and coastal infrastructure.
Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands, Jaap Slootmaker, highlighted the significance of the Letter of Intent for technical cooperation on the Kalpasar Project and the alternatives it presents for additional India-Netherlands cooperation.
Referring to the Afsluitdijk, Jaap Slootmaker mentioned that the construction is almost 100 years previous and is now being renewed, offering a chance for the Netherlands to share the expertise and information collected over the previous century. He added that Dutch establishments reminiscent of Deltares and TU Delft would contribute their experience via the MoUs, offering a basis for additional collaboration within the water sector. He additionally emphasised the significance of sharing classes discovered, notably in areas reminiscent of ecology and fish migration.
The MoUs will facilitate technical collaboration via the sharing of Dutch experience and superior engineering practices for the planning, design and implementation of the challenge. The cooperation with Deltares, inter alia, covers technical evaluation, hydraulic and hydrological modelling, coastal and structural engineering, local weather resilience, capability constructing, information switch and digital purposes. (ANI)