India and Netherland Relations

India and the Netherlands have sustained their diplomatic relations in numerous fields. The main focus of this bilateral relation is Political dialogue, economic cooperation, sustainable development, climate change, and technology development. The relationship between these countries has been exceptional since 1947, and their relationship is based on strong economic and commercial connections built on shared democratic principles. Since 1980, the Netherlands has been a good economic partner of India. India became a good trade and investment partner of the Dutch after liberalization in India.

• Indo-Dutch relations started in the 17th century, when the Dutch came to India and established the Dutch East India Company. Through this, they started trade contacts with many regions of India.
• During the 17th century the Dutch East India company played an important role in the Indian Subcontinent. They extended their existence in Surat, Coromandel coast, and Malabar. They mainly existed at Pulicat, Nagapattinam and Cochin.
• They focused on the trade for textile, precious stones, indigo, and silk across the Indian Peninsula, saltpeter and opium in Dutch Bengal and pepper in Dutch malabar.
• Their primary consideration turned to the Indonesian archipelago, where they developed a centuries -long colonial presence.
• By the middle of 1825, the Dutch had lost their final trading sites in India and were ousted.

Netherlands is a country in western Europe bordered by the North Sea, Belgium and Germany. In 1947, diplomatic relations were established with the Netherlands after India’s independence. They have strong political, economic and commercial relations. The multifaceted partnership between two countries is driven by the high level mutual exchange.

India and the Netherlands hold yearly meetings conducted by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs on both sides to address matters pertaining to their bilateral ties. The most recent Foreign Office Consultations took place in The Hague on November 10, 2021. The two sides have joint working groups (JWGs) at the functional level in the sectors of (i) science and technology, (ii) agriculture, (iii) healthcare, (iv) urban development, and (vi) counter-terrorism.

• Bilateral Trade and Investment: Netherland is India’s fourth-leading trade and investment partner from Europe.
  • In 2022-2023, the mutual trade between these two countries reached USD 27.58 billion.
  • Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) from the Netherlands has increased to USD 43.75 billion.
  • India’s Exports: Petroleum products, telecom instruments, aluminum and their product electronic instruments, iron and steel etc.
  • Bi-lateral fast-Track mechanism: since September 2023 to expedite investment.
  • India’s Investment: Indian firms like TCS, HCL, Wipro etc have a presence in Netherlands.

• Water Management
  • LOTUS-HR (Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuseplant) project with novel holistic water treatment plan for reusable water.
  • Dutch Indo Water Alliance Leadership Initiative has been created to allow India and the Netherlands to collaborate on water-related problems.
  • In 2008, India and the Netherlands signed an MoU in the domains of ports, maritime transport, and logistics, which eventually was extended twice. It placed a specific emphasis on development and research, naval construction, innovation, and sustainability. The fourth Indo-Dutch Forum on Smart and Sustainable Port-Led Development took place during September 2020. The Port of Rotterdam, the Port of Amsterdam, and Dutch enterprises participated in the online Maritime India Summit in March 2021.
  • To implement water-related projects, the Netherlands is engaged with various states and municipalities in India, including the State of UP(Namami Ganga Programme), Tamil Nadu(water as leverage, water management, and conservation), and Kerala(Flood management).
  • Strategic Water Partnership was signed in 2022: under which joint working group is setup to meet the Sustainable Development Goal 6 of Clean water and sanitation through innovation.
• Agriculture: India and the Netherlands are focusing on improving bilateral cooperation in agriculture through a Joint Working Group. The group, chaired by both countries' Ministries of Agriculture, has signed an action plan to establish 25 Centers of Excellence in the agricultural sector by 2025. India has already operationalized seven of these centers. The Indo-Dutch Joint Working Group on Agriculture Cooperation held its sixth meeting online in June 2021. India also participated in Floriade 2022, an annual international exposition and garden festival in the Netherlands.
• Healthcare research: To promote the higher study for initial health challenges related to communicable diseases and antimicrobial resistance, the MoU for this healthcare cooperation was signed in January 2014.
• Cooperation for Renewable Energy and Sustainability
  • In 2008, an MoU was signed between India and the Netherlands for the betterment of shipbuilding, innovation, and sustainability of port and maritime transport and logistics.
  • In 2021, the Netherlands joinder the partnership for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure
• Urban Planning: The JWG's fourth conference took place in June 2021, and it explored collaboration in a variety of disciplines, including urban development, smart cities, waste-to-value initiatives, geospatial innovation, and so on.
• Cultural Collaboration: Yoga is very prevalent in the Netherlands. The International Day of Yoga 2021 events were held in a hybrid manner on June 19, 2021. Since 2011, The Hague has been home to an ICCR Cultural Centre known as "The Gandhi Centre". The Centre offers a variety of programs, including Yoga, Sanskrit, Tabla, Kathak, and Hindi language lessons, as well as music, dance, workshops, movies, and other Indian culture activities. The Gandhi Centre also runs an outreach initiative for many Indian (Surinami-Hndustani) schools in The Hague.

With shared challenges like climate change and resource scarcity, both nations stand to gain from deepening collaboration in innovation, clean energy, and sustainable development. The recent naming of a tulip breed as "Maitri," symbolizing enduring friendship, is a beautiful testament to the potential of this partnership. As the two democracies continue to strengthen their ties, their combined influence on the global stage can contribute to a more secure, prosperous, and sustainable future for all.