Modi visits Afsluitdijk Dam, a symbol of engineering excellence and innovation

By Deepak Arora

THE HAGUE, May 17: Accompanied by Prime Minister Rob Jetten of the Netherlands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the iconic Afsluitdijk Dam, a symbol of Dutch excellence in water management, flood protection and freshwater storage.

The visit highlighted the relevance of Dutch expertise for India’s Kalpasar Project in Gujarat, which aims to create a freshwater reservoir and dam near the Gulf of Khambhat. The visit underscored opportunities for deeper Indo-Dutch collaboration in climate resilience, water technology and sustainable infrastructure.

In a post, 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.

He said "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."

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 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.

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.

After the visit to the dam, Modi concluded a productive visit to the Netherlands and emplaned for Sweden. Reflecting the warmth of India-Netherlands ties, he was seen off by Rob Jetten at the airport.