This year India and the Netherlands are commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. To mark the occasion, a special logo was unveiled to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between both nations.
To celebrate strong political, economic & commercial relations a large number of events and activities are planned during the year in a wide range of areas of cooperation including water, agriculture, innovation, energy, climate and culture, the MEA statement said, adding that the Netherlands presented 3,000 fresh tulips to India, as a symbol of friendship, which were planted in the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan gardens.
India-Netherlands Relations
India and the Netherlands established diplomatic relations in 1947. Since then, the two countries have developed strong political, economic & commercial relations, and various sectoral co- operations.
Trade and Commercial Relations
The core of bilateral connections between the two countries is trade and business cooperation. After Mauritius and Singapore, the Netherlands was the third largest investor in India in FY 2019-20, with USD 6.5 billion in FDI inflows. Between April 2000 and December 2020, Dutch investments in India totaled USD 36.28 billion, standing at the fourth position.
With USD 1.23 billion in overseas direct investment (ODI) from India in FY 2019-20, the Netherlands was the fourth highest destination for ODI from India. The Netherlands was also the fourth largest ODI destination in FY 2020-21 (through to January 2021), with $909.9 million in investments.
In FY 2020-21 (April-Dec), bilateral trade stood at US$6.55 billion with Indian exports to the Netherlands at US$4.33 billion and Indian imports from the Netherlands at US$ 2.22 billion. There are over 200 Dutch companies present in India. Also, there are over 200 Indian companies present in the Netherlands, including all the major IT companies.
The main items of Indian Exports to the Netherlands are Petroleum and related products, apparel and clothing, manufactures of metals and iron & steel, textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles,organic chemicals and medicinal and pharmaceutical products, electric machinery, telecommunication equipment, general industrial machines and road vehicles, vegetables & fruit, marine products and spices etc.
Water Management
Dutch water expertise is amongst the best in the world. The Dutch have mastered the art of flood control, water delivery, and treatment over many decades. Water technology, marine technology, and delta technology are the three main emphasis areas in the water sector. A framework called the Dutch Indo Water 3 Alliance Leadership Initiative (DIWALI) has been developed to identify solutions for water-related challenges, in which both nations can collaborate to build solutions.
Diaspora
The Netherlands has Europe’s second-biggest Indian diaspora community (after the United Kingdom) and the largest Indian diaspora community in mainland Europe. Businessmen, IT and other professionals, as well as students, make up the majority of Indian nationals in the Netherlands. The diaspora serves as a vital link between the two countries, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges. The e-Tourist Visa system, the Know India Program, the Tracing the Roots Program, and the India Corporate Internship Program, among others, have all helped to improve and deepen people-to-people relationships.
