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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands during his visit to the European country.
The Prime Minister, who is in the Netherlands in the second leg of his five-nation visit, will hold bilateral meeting with his counterpart Rob Jetten. This is PM Modi's second visit to the Netherlands after his previous visit in 2017. The bilateral engagement spans diverse sectors, including defence, security, innovation, green hydrogen, semiconductors and a Strategic Partnership on Water. Prime Minister's visit early in the tenure of the new Government has provided an opportunity to further deepen and expand the multifaceted partnership. Netherlands is one of India's largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade worth USD 27.8 billion (2024-25); and India's 4th largest investor with cumulative FDI of USD 55.6 billion. 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. Speaking at an Indian community event earlier in the day, PM Modi lauded the strong people-to-people ties between India and the Netherlands and referred to the "love and enthusiasm" at an Indian community event here and said It seems like The Hague "has become a living symbol of Indian friendship". The Prime Minister referred to the popularity of tulips in the Netherlands and lotus in India. "The Netherlands is known for tulips, just as India is known for the lotus. Both the tulip and the lotus teach us that whether the roots are in water or in the earth, one gains both beauty and strength," he said. "Seeing so much love and enthusiasm, I forgot for a moment that I am in the Netherlands, and it felt like I was attending a festival in India only... It seems like The Hague has become a living symbol of Indian friendship," he added. He pointed to the energy crisis caused by the West Asia crisis and said the decade has been full of challenges and if the situation does not change quickly, the achievements of past decades could be wiped away. PM Modi said the world today is talking about the need of resilient supply chains and India and the Netherlands are making endeavours to establish a future-ready supply chain. "The world is dealing with new challenges. First Corona, then war and today's energy crisis. This decade is becoming full of challenges. If the situation is not changed rapidly, the achievements of last multiple decades will be wasted and a huge section of the world's population will drown in poverty... In such times, India and the Netherlands are making endeavours to establish a future-ready supply chain.". PM Modi said India is undergoing a phase of unprecedented transformation. "Today, India is dreaming big... India's youth aspires to propel the country forward in the fields of AI and semiconductors... India is home to the world's third-largest startup ecosystem... Contemporary India is undergoing a phase of unprecedented transformation... The country is operating the world's largest government-funded health insurance scheme," he said.PM Modi said India and the Netherlands are working together in various sectors, including energy security and water security. "The FTA between India and the EU will further strengthen the partnership between India and the Netherlands. The Netherlands will become a natural gateway for Indian businesses to enter Europe, and our Indian community can serve as a trusted bridge in this journey," he said. (ANI)
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