The Gujarat Connection Behind PM Modi's Visit To Afsluitdijk In The Netherlands

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Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, visited the iconic Dutch water management structure, the Afsluitdijk. “An area in which the Netherlands has done groundbreaking work is water management. The entire international community can learn a great deal from this. We are committed to bringing modern technology to India, which is intended to help with irrigation, flood protection, and the expansion of the inland waterway network,” PM Modi said in a social media post after the visit. The visit underscored the shared commitment of both nations to innovative water management solutions, climate resilience, and sustainable infrastructure, the Indian government said in a statement.

What is Afsluitdijk And What PM Modi's Visit Means For Gujarat

The Afsluitdijk, a 32-kilometre-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, according to the statement.

The visit to the Dam put a spotlight on the parallels between the Afsluitdijk and India’s ambitious Kalpasar project in the state of Gujarat, the statement said. The two leaders noted that Dutch expertise in hydraulic engineering and India’s scale of implementation present opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships, it said. The visit reaffirms the India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership on Water, highlighting shared commitment to innovation and sustainability, it added. For the unversed, the Kalpasar project in Gujarat aims to create a freshwater reservoir across the Gulf of Khambhat. It is also focused on integrating tidal power generation, irrigation, and transportation infrastructure. In this regard, the two sides welcomed the signing of the Letter of Intent between the Ministry of Jal Shakti of India and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands for technical cooperation on the Kalpasar project, it said.

PM Modi Concludes Netherlands Visit

PM Modi landed in The Hague on Friday on a two-day visit as part of a four-nation trip to Europe - which also includes Sweden, Norway and Italy - aimed at ramping up bilateral ties on a range of key areas.

He concluded his visit to the Netherlands and was seen off by Rob Jetten, PM of the Netherlands, at the Schiphol Airport. PM Modi will travel to Gothenburg, Sweden, at the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.