India and the Netherlands held the 13th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on Thursday, reviewing progress across key areas of the bilateral partnership and exploring new domains of cooperation.
The talks were led by Secretary (West) Sibi George from the Indian side and Christiaan Rebergen, Secretary General in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from the Netherlands. The previous round was held in The Hague in May 2024.
Both sides welcomed intensifying interactions at the highest political levels, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof recently met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg on November 23.
During the consultations, the two delegations reviewed cooperation in critical technologies—including semiconductors and AI—science and technology, green hydrogen, shipping, defence, and security. Progress under the Water, Agriculture and Health (WAH) agenda also came up for discussion. Both sides expressed the intent to add greater strategic depth to the partnership.
India underlined the significance of the Netherlands as a major economic partner in Europe. The delegations acknowledged steady growth in bilateral trade and investment, and stressed the importance of concluding the India–EU Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025, as guided by political leadership earlier this year. Regional and global issues, including counterterrorism, were also discussed, with India reiterating its zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.
The two sides highlighted the strong cultural ties and people-to-people links, appreciating the role of the Indian community in the Netherlands as a key bridge between the countries.
Recognising the FOC as a vital institutional mechanism, both sides agreed to continue consultations regularly and hold the next round in the Netherlands at a mutually convenient date.
