Five-Nation Visit: India and Netherlands elevate ties to strategic partnership in trade, tech and defence

The Hague: India and the Netherlands on May 16 elevated their bilateral relationship to the level of a strategic partnership following extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in The Hague, marking a significant expansion of cooperation across trade, technology, defence, sustainability and investment. Modi arrived in the Dutch capital on Friday for a two-day visit as part of his ongoing five-nation West Asian-Europe tour aimed at strengthening India’s partnerships in key strategic and economic sectors. The two countries also signed several agreements intended to deepen cooperation in multiple fields.

During the opening remarks of the bilateral discussions, Modi noted that India-Netherlands relations had witnessed considerable advancement over the past decade. He described the Netherlands as one of India’s most important partners and emphasised the deep historical and people-to-people links between the two nations.

Referring to the shared foundations of the relationship, the Prime Minister said democratic values, market-based economic systems and responsible global conduct formed the basis of the partnership. He also highlighted the contribution of bilateral cooperation in areas such as water management, healthcare and education in improving the lives of citizens in both countries.

The discussions took place against the backdrop of evolving geopolitical realities and increasing economic realignments across Europe and Asia. Both sides stressed the need to expand cooperation in emerging sectors while enhancing strategic coordination.

Focus on innovation, sustainability and defence

Modi said there should be greater synergy between Dutch technological expertise and India’s scale, speed and skilled workforce. He underlined the importance of broadening collaboration in innovation, sustainability, defence and investment. “We need to take our cooperation in areas of innovation, investment, sustainability, and defence to new heights. Under this common vision, we are taking India-Netherlands relations to the level of strategic partnership,” Modi said.

Jetten also underlined the growing depth of bilateral ties and formally announced the elevation of the relationship to the strategic partnership framework.

The Netherlands remains one of India’s most significant economic partners in Europe. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $27.8 billion in 2024-25, while the European nation has emerged as India’s fourth-largest foreign investor with cumulative foreign direct investment amounting to $55.6 billion.

Ahead of the formal talks, the two Prime Ministers jointly interacted with chief executives and senior representatives of major Dutch companies operating in sectors including energy, ports, agriculture, healthcare, trade and technology.

PM Modi invites Dutch companies to expand presence in India

During the interaction with business leaders, Modi invited Dutch firms to increase their engagement with India and explore opportunities in sectors such as maritime infrastructure, renewable energy, semiconductors, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and healthcare. “We are continuously reducing compliance and increasing the ease of doing business. We have recently carried out next-generation reforms in taxation, labour code, and governance,” he told the CEOs.

The Prime Minister said India’s manufacturing sector was becoming increasingly cost-effective, while the country’s services sector had emerged as a major driver of efficiency and innovation. He urged companies to use India as a hub for design and innovation.
“We invite all of you to design and innovate in India. There can be no better time for this than today,” he said.

Highlighting India’s economic transformation, Modi described the country as a symbol of both scale and stability. He said India remained the world’s fastest-growing major economy and possessed the world’s largest talent pool. Referring to infrastructure development, clean energy expansion and connectivity projects, he asserted that few countries could match India’s pace of growth.

The Prime Minister also referred to the continuity of economic reforms undertaken during his tenure, saying the government had focused on policy predictability and expanding opportunities for the private sector.

“And on the subject of stability, I have completed 12 years of serving as the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy. In these 12 years, with continuous reforms, we have transformed our economic DNA. Our direction has been clear, to give policy predictability to the private sector and increase opportunities for them,” he said.

Modi further stated that sectors such as space, mining and nuclear energy had been opened to private participation as part of broader economic reforms.

Both leaders also underlined the importance of an early conclusion and implementation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, viewing it as a crucial step towards strengthening economic integration between India and Europe.