Prime Minister Narendra Modi met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in The Hague on May 16 during the Netherlands leg of his five-nation European tour. The visit, from May 15–17, is Modi’s second to the Netherlands since 2017 and follows a brief stopover in the UAE. He is also scheduled to hold talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.
The Ministry of External Affairs described the trip as having a “rich and substantive agenda,” focused on expanding cooperation in strategic areas including semiconductors, clean energy, defence, innovation, maritime security and education. The Netherlands is one of India’s largest European trading partners, with bilateral trade at $27.8 billion in 2024–25, and is India’s fourth-largest investor with cumulative foreign direct investment of $55.6 billion.
Addressing the Indian diaspora in The Hague in an address lasting over 40 minutes, Modi called India a “land of opportunities” undergoing an “unprecedented transformation” and said the country’s ambitions “are no longer limited to its borders.” He highlighted India’s startup ecosystem—noting nearly 125 active unicorns—and described India as the world’s third-largest startup hub. He outlined ambitions for India to become a global manufacturing centre, a leader in green energy and a “growth engine of the world,” and cited national achievements such as the G20 presidency, an AI summit and the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission.
Modi emphasized growing India–Netherlands collaboration on green hydrogen, supply chains and clean energy, saying the two countries are working to build a “trusted, transparent and future-ready supply chain.” He drew a cultural parallel between the nations, noting that “the Netherlands is known for tulips while India is known for the lotus,” and used the two flowers to symbolize resilience and beauty.
Sports, Modi said, are a strong bond between the countries. He praised Indian-origin Dutch cricketers including Teja Nidamanuru, Vikramjit Singh and Aryan Dutt, and acknowledged the contribution of Dutch coaches to Indian hockey, specifically naming Sjoerd Marijne for his role with the Indian women’s team.
Modi also urged the diaspora to act as a “trusted bridge” to deepen India–Europe economic ties, especially as momentum builds around a potential India–EU Free Trade Agreement. The Netherlands hosts more than 90,000 NRIs and persons of Indian origin, alongside over 200,000 members of the Suriname-Hindustani community; approximately 3,500 Indian students are enrolled at Dutch universities.
After completing the Netherlands leg, Modi’s tour will continue to Sweden, Norway and Italy. The visit aims to broaden bilateral ties beyond traditional areas such as trade, agriculture, water and health, and to strengthen cooperation across technology, defence and renewable energy.