April 9, 2021
Virtual Summit held between India and Netherlands with prime focus on establishing a strategic partnership on water.
Aim to strengthen ties in trade, investment, water management, agriculture, food processing, development of smart cities and more.
Both the countries stand united in areas like Indo-Pacific resilient supply chains and global digital governance.
To facilitate bilateral trade between Dutch and Indian companies, both sides announced the setting up of a fast-tracking mechanism.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and H.E Mr. Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands held a Virtual Summit on the 9th of April 2021, aiming to review the entire gamut of bilateral engagements and discussed ideas on how to further boost and diversify the existing relationship in trade and economy, water management, agriculture sector, smart cities, science & technology, healthcare and space. Discussing regional and global issues like climate change, terrorism, the covid-19 pandemic, the two sides agreed to leverage their union in new areas like Indo-Pacific, Resilient Supply Chains and Global Digital Governance. The two leaders echoed their firm resolve towards ensuring international peace, stability, and prosperity.
The focal point of the summit was its focus on water. The Netherlands is rightly placed at the fore in water management as they have successfully surmounted various trials like ensuring flood control, desalination of soil and many more. India and Netherlands have agreed to deepen cooperation in the water management sector by establishing a ‘Strategic Partnership on Water’ and upgrading the Joint Working Group on water to a ministerial level. In order to facilitate bilateral trade and overcome various challenges for Dutch and Indian companies, both sides announced the setting up of a fast-tracking mechanism. For Dutch companies and investors in India, the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DIPP) and for the Indian companies in Netherlands, the Netherlands foreign investment agencies will be responsible.
Besides their strong cooperation in the water sector, India and Netherlands have broadened their horizons by cooperating in areas of water budgeting, cost-effectiveness, decentralised treatment technologies, converting wastewater into energy, inter alia. Sharing a deep-rooted relationship based on the principles of democracy, law and humanity, both India and Netherlands commit to further strengthen the bilateral ties in areas of trade, investment, water management, agriculture, food processing, development of smart cities and more.