The Pulse | Diplomacy | South Asia

India and the Netherlands: From Quiet Cooperation to Strategic Partnership? 

Can India and the Netherlands transform their growing cooperation into a fully-fledged strategic partnership with a clear long-term vision?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands this weekend marks an important moment in the relationship between the two countries. During the visit, an official strategic partnership is expected to be announced, following months of preparation.

It is a logical step – and one of considerable strategic value for both countries. India is emerging as one of the most important economic and geopolitical players of the 21st century. The Netherlands, meanwhile, plays a central role within Europe in logistics, technology, and international trade.

Yet the symbolic and political visibility of this relationship remains surprisingly limited. Modi’s visit was only officially confirmed at a late stage. It is happening during a week when much international attention is on the Beijing summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, or the BRICS summit (incidentally in New Delhi). Moreover, the Netherlands is merely one stop on a broader tour which includes the UAE and various other European capitals. This reflects a wider reality: although cooperation between India and the Netherlands has grown significantly in recent years, the strategic importance of the relationship largely remains under the public radar.

Economically, ties have nevertheless expanded considerably. Today, the Netherlands is the main destination within the European Union for Indian goods exports, mainly given the central role of Rotterdam’s port as a hub for Asian imports in Europe. At the same time, an increasing number of Dutch companies view India as a crucial partner within their “China 1” strategies. As geopolitical tensions between China and the West continue to rise, many companies are seeking to reduce their dependence on China by geographically diversifying production and investment. India is playing an increasingly important role in that process.

Cooperation between the two countries is also no longer limited to traditional trade. New areas are rapidly gaining importance, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, digital infrastructure, climate adaptation, and water management. Particularly in the fields of technology and innovation, the two economies are finding growing areas of convergence.

This evolution is taking place within a profoundly changing international context. The war in Ukraine, growing rivalry between the United States and China, and rising concerns about economic dependencies have pushed many European countries to rethink their strategies. Economic security, technological independence, and resilient supply chains now rank much higher on the political agenda than they did only a few years ago, and especially with the new Rob Jetten government. 

Within this shifting geopolitical landscape, India is becoming increasingly important for Europe. The country combines a vast market with a young population, technological ambitions, and growing international influence. For European countries, cooperation with India is therefore no longer solely about trade, but also about geopolitical positioning and strengthening partnerships beyond China.

Nevertheless, India has long received less strategic attention in the Netherlands than China. Dutch policy toward Asia historically focused primarily on........

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