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India and the Netherlands agreed on a strategic partnership on the water during the virtual summit.
Key Highlights
- They discussed broadening bilateral cooperation in new areas of water, including water budgeting, cost-effective, decentralised treatment technologies, converting wastewater to energy.
- Both countries reaffirmed the commitment to multilateralism and agreed to work together towards challenges of climate change, counter-terrorism and Sustainable Development Goal and pandemic.
- Both nations decided to strengthen the bilateral ties in particular sectors of trade and investment, water management, agricultural, food processing, smart cities and urban mobility and more.
- The two sides also decided to set up a fast-track mechanism to promote bilateral trade.
- Two countries also discussed collaboration in the field of agriculture, Urban Development and Space.
India and Netherlands Relations
India and Netherlands have long-standing warm and friendly relations based on shared values of democracy, rule of law, respectful human rights and historic bonds of friendship.
Bilateral ties
- Indo-Dutch contacts go back to more than 400 years and official relations established in 1947, have been cordial and friendly.
- India’s economic growth, its large market, its pool of knowledge workers are of interest to the Netherlands.
- The two countries also share common ideals of democracy, pluralism and the rule of law.
- Bilateral ties have been marked by strong economic and commercial relations
- The Netherlands signed the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and became the 64th signatory member country.
Political and Economic Relations
- In terms of trade and investment, India has strong economic interests in the Netherlands.
- There are over 200 Indian companies operating in the Netherlands.
- The top five sectors attracting FDI equity flows from the Netherlands were the services sector, computer software and hardware, trading, automobile industry and fermentation industries.
- During the financial year, FY 2018-2019 (April to September), total two-way trade stood at US$6.28 billion.
- The Netherlands was India’s 4th largest trading partner in the EU, after the UK, Germany and Belgium.
Culture and Education
- In May 1985, a Cultural Agreement was signed between the two countries, which provides for cooperation and exchanges in education and science, art and culture.
- An MoU on Cultural Cooperation was signed in June 2017.
- Indian Cultural Centre named “The Gandhi Centre” in The Hague was inaugurated in October 2011.
- The Centre promotes Indian culture through its active calendar of programmes including regular Yoga, Tabla and Hindi classes.
- In addition to this, the Centre organizes a wide range of diverse cultural activities and programmes, such as music, dance, workshops, movies, documentaries, lectures, celebrations of Indian festivals.
- The Fourth International Day of Yoga was celebrated on 18 June 2018 at the Museumplein, Amsterdam.
Diaspora
- The Netherlands hosts the second-largest Indian Diaspora (after the UK) in Europe and the largest Indian diaspora community on mainland Europe, totalling around 2,35,000 comprising 35,000 Indians and 2,00,000 Suriname-Hindustani community of Indian origin.
- The Indian nationals in the Netherlands broadly comprise businessmen, IT and other professionals and students.
