New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima at Palace Huis ten Bosch in The Hague during his visit to the Netherlands.
During the meeting, Modi and the Dutch royals exchanged views on strengthening the India-Netherlands relationship, including expanding people-to-people ties. The PM recalled with appreciation the State Visit of Their Majesties to India in 2019, stating that the visit had played an important role in fostering mutual goodwill and imparting fresh momentum to bilateral ties.
The leaders expressed satisfaction over ongoing cooperation in areas including education, innovation, semiconductors, digital technology, water management, and green partnerships, according to an official statement.
Modi also conveyed appreciation for the goodwill extended towards India and thanked Their Majesties for the warm hospitality during his visit. Their Majesties hosted a lunch in honour of the PM.
Later, Modi attended an Indian community reception in The Hague, where he received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India in the Netherlands.
Addressing the gathering, the PM praised the Indian diaspora for its contribution to Dutch society and described the community as a living bridge of friendship between India and the Netherlands. He also recalled the deep historical and cultural ties of the Surinami-Hindustani community with India and commended its efforts to preserve traditions and cultural heritage across generations.
Highlighting growing contemporary ties between the two countries, the PM noted that Indian professionals in the technology sector and Indian students pursuing innovation-driven fields in Dutch universities were strengthening bilateral cooperation. He added that sports connections, particularly cricket and hockey, were adding new vibrancy to people-to-people relations.
Modi underlined that cooperation between India and the Netherlands was steadily expanding, especially in the areas of technology and innovation. Referring to economic ties, he said the Netherlands remains among India’s largest export destinations in Europe and one of its key investment partners. He added that the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement would create new opportunities for both sides.
Speaking about India’s development journey, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the country’s progress towards becoming a developed nation, or “Viksit Bharat”, by 2047. He referred to rapid advancements in infrastructure, manufacturing, clean energy, and digital systems, stating that India was confidently shaping its future while contributing to global growth and prosperity.
He assured the Indian community abroad that the Government of India remained committed to their welfare and called upon them to contribute actively towards the Viksit Bharat mission by leveraging their experience in the Netherlands.
Referring to the Indian-origin population in the Netherlands, the PM noted that the country is home to the largest number of people of Indian origin in mainland Europe, including nearly 200,000 members of the Surinami-Hindustani community. In this context, he highlighted the liberalisation of OCI eligibility for the Surinami-Hindustani diaspora from the fourth generation to the sixth generation.
During his address, Modi said the enthusiasm shown by the Indian community made him feel as though he was attending a festival in India itself. He remarked that although The Hague is globally known as the “City of Peace and Justice”, the atmosphere created by the diaspora had turned it into a symbol of Indian friendship.
Prime Minister Modi also acknowledged the contribution of Indian families settled in the Netherlands, saying their journey reflected not merely migration but also the preservation of culture, values, and traditions despite geographical distance.
He stated that India today was pursuing ambitious goals in sectors such as startups, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, manufacturing and green energy. He noted that India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem and highlighted ongoing efforts in chip manufacturing and semiconductor production.
He also referred to India’s digital transformation, including large-scale adoption of digital public infrastructure, UPI transactions, DigiLocker, Digi Yatra, and Digital Health ID systems. He said India was undergoing an unprecedented phase of transformation marked by rapid growth in infrastructure, renewable energy, transport, and innovation.
Referring to democratic participation in India, he said the country takes pride in high voter turnout and increasing participation by women in elections. He added that India continues to strengthen its democratic framework while pursuing large-scale economic and technological growth.
On global challenges, Prime Minister Modi referred to issues such as the coronavirus pandemic, wars, and energy crises, saying the world was facing a decade of disruptions. In this context, he noted that India and the Netherlands were cooperating on resilient supply chains, energy security, water security, and green hydrogen initiatives.
He also highlighted growing sports cooperation between the two countries. He praised the contribution of the Indian community towards cricket in the Netherlands and mentioned Dutch cricketers of Indian origin, including Teja Nidamanuru, Vikramjit Singh, and Aryan Dutt. He also acknowledged the contribution of Dutch coaches to Indian hockey.
