Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Amsterdam on Saturday, beginning a visit aimed at strengthening India’s strategic and economic partnership with the Netherlands at a time of expanding trade and investment ties between India and the European Union.
In a post on social media platform X after landing in the Dutch capital, Modi said the visit comes as the India-EU free trade agreement process has provided fresh momentum to bilateral economic relations and opened new opportunities for cooperation in key sectors.
“Arrived in Amsterdam. This visit to the Netherlands comes at a time when the free trade agreement between India and the EU has given a major boost to trade and investment relations. It provides an opportunity to strengthen ties in areas such as semiconductors, water, clean energy and more,” Modi said.
The prime minister said he would hold talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during the visit. He also said he looked forward to addressing members of the Indian community at an event scheduled for the morning of May 16.
“I will hold talks with Prime Minister Rob Jetten and visit Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. I also look forward to addressing the community at a gathering on the morning of the 16th,” Modi said in the post.
The Netherlands is among India’s key economic partners in Europe and has emerged as a major source of foreign investment into the country. Bilateral cooperation has steadily expanded beyond traditional trade into areas including technology, water management, renewable energy, climate resilience, agriculture and semiconductor manufacturing.
The visit also comes amid growing efforts by India and the European union to conclude a long-pending free trade agreement, with both sides intensifying negotiations to boost market access and diversify supply chains in the face of global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.
India and the Netherlands have in recent years worked closely on clean energy initiatives, green hydrogen development and high-technology partnerships, reflecting New Delhi’s broader push to strengthen ties with European partners in critical and emerging sectors.
