Netherlands Foreign Minister David van Weel has arrived in India for engagements in Delhi and Mumbai to deepen bilateral ties. His visit comes ahead of a planned trip by Dutch PM Dick Schoof for an AI summit in February 2026.
David van Weel, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, arrived in India on Thursday. He will have engagements in Delhi and Mumbai, aimed at strengthening the ties between the two countries.
Sharing the details of his arrival in a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Foreign Minister Weel's visit would diversify the ties between the two countries. "Welkom in India! FM David Van Weel @ministerBZ of the Netherlands arrived in New Delhi today. His visit and engagements in Delhi and Mumbai will focus on further deepening and diversifying India-Netherlands bilateral ties", he wrote on X. Welkom in India! FM David Van Weel @ministerBZ of the Netherlands arrived in New Delhi today. His visit and engagements in Delhi and Mumbai will focus on further deepening and diversifying India-Netherlands bilateral ties. 🇮🇳- 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/YNGxJuo1sx — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 18, 2025
Upcoming High-Level Engagements
The high-level visit to India comes ahead of the visit by PM Dick Schoof, slated for February next year. In an exclusive interview to ANI, Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Netherlands to India, said the PM would lead a delegation to India for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026. "The Prime Minister will be leading the Dutch delegation. So I'm very happy and proud that he will be here. The CEO of Philips will also be part of the delegation, and I think other CEOs or vice presidents from various companies. I'm sure that we will have a good delegation, and I'm also hoping to get some leadership from our technical universities as well," said the Dutch Ambassador.
Strengthening Strategic Partnership
David van Weel's visit to India comes on the heels of the 13th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held between India and Netherlands earlier in December. The FOC provided an opportunity to review the advancement in bilateral ties and discuss newer areas of cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
Both sides deliberated on the ways to further strengthen the partnership in sectors such as critical technologies and innovation, including semiconductors and AI, science and technology, green hydrogen and shipping, defence and security, along with the priority areas of Water, Agriculture and Health (WAH agenda).
Focus on Economic Ties and EU FTA
Both sides reiterated their desire to provide a strategic dimension to bilateral relations in diverse sectors. Noting the continued importance of the Netherlands as a key economic partner for India in Europe, they acknowledged the consistent growth in bilateral trade and investment. In this regard, they underscored the importance of concluding the India-EU Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year, as directed by the leadership on the Indian and EU sides during the visit of the EU College of Commissioners in February this year, as per the Ministry of External Affairs.
India and the Netherlands enjoy a strong bilateral relationship based on shared democratic values and multifaceted cooperation in diverse areas. The two countries have a Strategic Partnership on Water covering extensive cooperation and knowledge sharing in flood management, clean water technologies, among other domains. (ANI)
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