Intro: PM Modi and Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten toured the Afsluitdijk dam, elevating India-Netherlands ties to a Strategic Partnership.
THE HAGUE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured the famous Afsluitdijk water management structure alongside his Dutch counterpart, Rob Jetten.
The landmark visit highlights a growing partnership focused on bringing world-class flood control, climate resilience, and sustainable infrastructure technology to India.
The Afsluitdijk is a massive 32-kilometer-long dam that blocks the North Sea, creating a vital freshwater lake while protecting large parts of the Netherlands from severe flooding. Modi heavily praised the groundbreaking engineering, stating that the entire international community can learn a great deal from the pioneering work done by the Dutch. He emphasized that India hopes to adopt this modern technology to upgrade its own irrigation systems, flood defenses, and inland waterways.
The high-profile visit also spotlighted a strong connection between the Dutch dam and India’s planned Kalpasar project in Gujarat. The ambitious Kalpasar initiative plans to build a freshwater reservoir across the Gulf of Khambhat to generate tidal power and boost regional agriculture. To cement this technical bond, the two nations signed a formal Letter of Intent to collaborate closely on hydraulic engineering and large-scale project execution.
Concluding his successful two-day visit to The Hague, Modi announced that bilateral relations have now officially advanced to a “Strategic Partnership.” Beyond water management, the future roadmap includes deeper cooperation in military defense, semiconductor production, and clean energy. The Prime Minister expressed warm gratitude to Jetten for his exceptional hospitality before departing on the next leg of his European tour.