India, Netherlands seal historic 17-pact strategic partnership
India and the Netherlands have elevated their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, agreeing on a comprehensive five-year roadmap (2026–30) and signing 17 pacts spanning semiconductors, critical minerals, migration, water management, and renewable energy.
The announcements followed talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten on Saturday in The Hague.
Addressing the 39-year-old Dutch Prime Minister, Modi said, “India is the youngest nation in the world and the fastest-growing major economy globally. You represent the new generation of leadership in the Netherlands and Europe. We must combine the Netherlands’ expertise with India’s speed and scale across every sector.”
“Our objective is to elevate cooperation in areas such as innovation, investment, sustainability, and defence to new dimensions. Guided by this shared vision, we are today elevating India-Netherlands relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership.”
In a post on X, Jetten said, “The friendship between India and the Netherlands is in full bloom. This is also underscored by the visit of Indian Prime Minister Modi to the Netherlands. It is a bond that is furthermore being elevated to an even higher level by our agreement to establish a Strategic Partnership with each other.”
Jetten added that the partnership is already yielding results, citing a new joint declaration between Dutch chip-toolmaker ASML and Tata Electronics. “This builds on top of the major, historic trade agreement that India and the EU concluded earlier this year. In short, we are making enormous strides forward in our cooperation, and that is truly a win-win situation,” he wrote.
Modi said, “We regard the Netherlands as one of India’s most important partners. The Netherlands is one of India’s top five investors. Our historical, cultural, and people-to-people ties are also deeply rooted. Democratic values, a market economy, and responsible conduct form the bedrock of our shared outlook. Our cooperation in sectors such as water, health, and education is actively improving the lives of our people.”