Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the iconic Afsluitdijk Dam on May 17, 2026, along with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten to strengthen bilateral cooperation in flood control, coastal engineering, and sustainable water management. The visit focused on exploring Dutch expertise for India’s ambitious Kalpasar Project in Gujarat.
Major Highlights
- Prime Minister Modi toured the 32-kilometre-long Afsluitdijk Dam to study advanced Dutch hydraulic engineering and flood management systems.
- The visit was aimed at understanding technologies related to flood control, coastal protection, and land reclamation that could support India’s Kalpasar Project in the Gulf of Khambhat.
- India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management signed a Letter of Intent for technical cooperation in water resource management and hydraulic engineering.
- The Afsluitdijk Dam acts as a major protective barrier against the North Sea and helped create the large freshwater reservoir known as the IJsselmeer, which supports irrigation, water storage, and flood prevention in the Netherlands.
- Discussions during the visit highlighted the importance of climate-resilient infrastructure, including advanced lock systems, fish migration corridors, and integration of renewable energy solutions within coastal dam structures.
- Both countries emphasized an “innovation meets scale” approach, combining Dutch expertise in water engineering with India’s large-scale infrastructure capabilities.
- During the broader bilateral engagement, India and the Netherlands signed 17 agreements covering sectors such as water technology, renewable energy, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and maritime cooperation.
- The Netherlands also formally returned the historic Anaimangalam Chola Copper Plates, also known as the Leiden Plates, after years of diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
- The visit formed part of Prime Minister Modi’s four-nation European tour aimed at strengthening strategic relations with countries including Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Italy.
Important Terms
- Afsluitdijk Dam: A major Dutch dam and flood-control structure that protects the Netherlands from the North Sea while creating the IJsselmeer freshwater lake.
- Kalpasar Project: A proposed mega infrastructure project in Gujarat aimed at creating a freshwater reservoir in the Gulf of Khambhat along with transport and energy infrastructure.
- Strategic Partnership on Water: A bilateral cooperation framework focused on sustainable water management, flood control, hydraulic engineering, and climate-resilient infrastructure development.
