Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten on Saturday discussed global and regional issues, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while reaffirming their commitment to strengthening India-Netherlands ties through a newly elevated Strategic Partnership.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Jetten said India and the Netherlands share common values rooted in democracy, good governance and a rules-based international order.
“At times of international uncertainty, it’s especially important that we can rely on like-minded and valued partners,” Jetten said in a post on X.
The Dutch Prime Minister noted that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in rising global energy prices, affecting both India and the Netherlands.
“My discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi included the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has resulted in high energy prices. As in the Netherlands, the impact on India has been severe too. So it’s vital that this conflict be brought to an end and that a lasting solution be found,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi, during delegation-level talks, highlighted the need to combine India’s growth potential with Dutch expertise to deepen bilateral cooperation across sectors such as innovation, sustainability, investment and defence.
“We must combine the expertise of the Netherlands with India’s speed and skill across every sector, taking our cooperation in areas such as innovation, investment, sustainability and defence to new dimensions,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister described the Netherlands as one of India’s “most important partners” and highlighted the deep historical and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
“The Netherlands is one of India’s top five investors. Democratic values, a market economy and responsible behaviour form part of our shared vision,” PM Modi said.
He also thanked Prime Minister Jetten for the warm welcome and noted that India-Netherlands relations have made “remarkable progress” over the past decade.
During the visit, India and the Netherlands exchanged several Memoranda of Understanding in sectors including technology, innovation, trade, mobility and renewable energy.
Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the Indian diaspora in The Hague and praised the Indian community for strengthening ties between the two nations.
He highlighted the growing role of Indian professionals in the Dutch technology sector and the increasing number of Indian students in Dutch universities.
The Prime Minister said technology and innovation are emerging as major pillars of bilateral cooperation and noted that the Netherlands remains one of India’s leading investment partners in Europe.
PM Modi also underlined India’s progress in infrastructure, manufacturing, clean energy and digital transformation as part of the vision for “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.
“The Indian government stands firmly behind every Indian living abroad and remains committed to their welfare,” he told the diaspora gathering.
The Netherlands hosts the largest Indian-origin community in mainland Europe, including nearly 200,000 members of the Surinami-Hindustani community.
PM Modi also highlighted the government’s decision to liberalise Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) eligibility for the Surinami-Hindustani diaspora from the fourth generation to the sixth generation.
