The Hague: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stated that he exchanged perspectives on boosting India-Netherlands friendship across key sectors during his meeting with the Netherlands King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace Huis ten Bosch in The Hague.
“Met His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace. It was wonderful exchanging perspectives on boosting India-Netherlands friendship across key sectors like technology, innovation, sustainable growth, commerce and water resources,” PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.
“India and the Netherlands are connected by shared interests and a shared belief in building a future-ready planet,” he added.
PM Modi’s ongoing visit to the country focuses on deepening bilateral relations between the two countries and the signing of a Strategic Partnership to that end.
This is the Prime Minister’s second visit to the Netherlands and comes at an important juncture in bilateral ties.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India-Netherlands partnership has considerably deepened over the last few years across traditional sectors of trade, investment, and priority sectors of WAH, that is, water, agriculture, and health, as well as people-to-people ties. In recent years, cooperation has further expanded into strategic areas of technology, innovation, defence, security, semiconductors, renewable energy, education and the maritime domain.
Further, people-to-people ties remain a key aspect of India-Netherlands bilateral relationship. The Netherlands is home to over 90,000 non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin alongside over 200,000 numbers of the Suriname Hindustani Community. Around 3,500 Indian students are currently enrolled in various universities there.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi attended an Indian community reception in The Hague. On arrival, he was accorded a warm and spirited welcome by a large gathering of the Indian diaspora and friends of India in the Netherlands.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi expressed appreciation for the enthusiastic and colourful reception. He praised the Indian diaspora for its contributions to the Dutch society and for serving as a living bridge of friendship between India and the Netherlands. He also recalled the deep and enduring historical ties of the Surinami-Hindustani community with India, and commended their efforts to preserve and celebrate their rich cultural heritage across generations.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi highlighted that the large number of Indian professionals in the technology sector and the growing number of Indian students in Dutch universities, particularly in innovation-driven fields, were adding strength to contemporary partnership between the two countries. He further noted that sports linkages, in particular Cricket and Hockey, were contributing to new vibrancy to the close people-to-people ties between the two countries.
“Deeply touched by the immense enthusiasm and affection of the Indian community at the community programme in The Hague. Their energy and connection with India are deeply special,” PM Modi posted on X.
(IANS)
