Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands on Monday during his visit to the European nation.
Met His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima 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. India and… pic.twitter.com/BmY5fDxY9t
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2026
PM Modi, who is in the Netherlands as part of the second leg of his five-nation tour, is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, news agency ANI reported.
This is PM Modi’s second visit to the Netherlands after his earlier trip in 2017. The bilateral relationship covers several sectors, including defence, security, innovation, green hydrogen, semiconductors, and the Strategic Partnership on Water.
PM Modi`s visit, taking place early in the tenure of the new government, has provided an opportunity to further strengthen and expand the multifaceted partnership between the two countries.
The Netherlands is among India’s largest trade partners in Europe, with bilateral trade valued at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. It is also India’s fourth-largest investor, with cumulative FDI amounting to USD 55.6 billion.
People-to-people ties continue to remain an important aspect of India-Netherlands relations. The Netherlands is home to over 90,000 non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin, along with more than 200,000 members of the Suriname Hindustani community. Around 3,500 Indian students are currently studying at various universities in the country.
Addressing an Indian community event earlier in the day, PM Modi praised the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries and referred to the “love and enthusiasm” witnessed at the gathering, saying it felt as though The Hague “has become a living symbol of Indian friendship”.
PM Modi highlights India-Netherlands ties, resilient supply chains amid global challenges
Referring to the popularity of tulips in the Netherlands and the lotus in India, PM Modi said, “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.”
“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.
Highlighting the challenges posed by the West Asia crisis, the Prime Minister said the decade has been marked by multiple difficulties and warned that the achievements of past decades could be lost if the situation does not improve quickly.
PM Modi said the world is now focusing on resilient supply chains and noted that India and the Netherlands are working together 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,” he said.
India undergoing unprecedented transformation: PM Modi
PM Modi also said that India is currently witnessing 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 stated.
He further said India and the Netherlands are collaborating in sectors such as 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,” stated PM Modi.
(With ANI inputs)