India-Netherlands Upgrade Ties To Strategic Partnership, Focus On Chips, Defence And Green Energy

India and the Netherlands have agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership following high-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in The Hague. The move marks a major step in strengthening cooperation between the two countries across sectors including semiconductors, defence, green energy, technology, trade and advanced manufacturing.

The announcement came during PM Modi’s two-day visit to the Netherlands as part of his larger Europe tour aimed at expanding India’s economic and strategic engagement with key European nations.

During the bilateral meeting, both leaders reviewed cooperation in areas such as defence, healthcare, education, clean energy, water management and technology. Several agreements were signed to deepen collaboration in emerging and high-priority sectors.

Prime Minister Modi described the Netherlands as one of India’s most important European partners and said ties between the two nations had seen “significant progress” over the past decade. He highlighted that the partnership is built on shared democratic values, economic cooperation and strong people-to-people connections.

“Democratic values, market economy and responsible behaviour are part of our common approach,” Modi said while stressing the need to take cooperation in innovation, sustainability, investment and defence to a new level.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten also underlined the growing importance of India-Netherlands relations and supported expanding cooperation in both economic and strategic sectors.

Ahead of the formal talks, Modi and Jetten jointly attended a CEO Roundtable in The Hague that included top Dutch companies from sectors such as energy, healthcare, agriculture, ports and technology. During the interaction, PM Modi invited Dutch businesses to expand investments in India, particularly in semiconductors, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digital technology, healthcare and maritime infrastructure.

Highlighting India’s rapid economic transformation, Modi said the country has emerged as a symbol of “scale and stability” due to continuous reforms and infrastructure growth. He pointed to major reforms in taxation, labour laws and governance that have improved the ease of doing business and attracted global investment.

“We invite all of you to design and innovate in India. There can be no better time for this than today,” Modi told business leaders at the event.

One of the key developments during the visit was the signing of an agreement between Tata Electronics and Dutch semiconductor giant ASML to support India’s first front-end semiconductor fabrication plant in Dholera, Gujarat. The agreement is expected to strengthen India’s semiconductor manufacturing ambitions and reduce dependence on imports in the long term.

The two countries also agreed to work closely in areas such as green hydrogen, advanced manufacturing and clean energy technologies. Both sides backed the early implementation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to boost trade and investment opportunities further.

Modi said no country could match India’s pace in infrastructure expansion, connectivity and clean energy development, adding that India’s skilled workforce and large market make it an ideal destination for global companies looking to diversify supply chains and manufacturing operations.

The upgraded strategic partnership reflects growing alignment between India and the Netherlands on economic resilience, technological cooperation and sustainable development at a time of shifting global trade and geopolitical dynamics.