President Hosts King and Queen of Netherlands; Says Economic Partnership is A Key Pillar of India-Netherlands Bilateral Ties

The President of India,  Ram Nath Kovind, received His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Kingdom of Netherlands at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (October 14, 2019). He also hosted a banquet in their honour.

Welcoming them to India, the President said that bilateral ties between India and Netherlands are strong and growing. We have exchanged three visits at the level of Prime Minister in the last four years. These have provided significant momentum to our bilateral cooperation. He expressed confidence that this State Visit will impart further boost to our engagement and deepen our relations.

The President said that economic partnership is a key pillar of India-Netherlands bilateral ties. The Netherlands is India’s 4th largest trading partner in the European Union. Netherlands is also among the leading investors in India.  Indian companies have made significant investment in Netherlands as well.  He said that Dutch companies have a global name in the fields of agriculture, water management, port development, waste management and urban planning. He invited them to partner India in its growth story.

The President appreciated Netherlands’ support for India`s membership to the different Export Control Regimes and for its claim to a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The President said that India and the Netherlands share common concerns with regard to contemporary challenges, particularly climate action, cyber security and terrorism. He said that terrorism is among the gravest threats affecting the world today and we must come together to develop a strong global response to defeat and destroy this evil.

Subsequently, in his banquet speech, President Kovind said that on the strong foundation of our historic ties, we have created a partnership driven by innovation, investment and technology. Smart Solutions, Smart Cities, green energy, start-ups and new-age products are bringing us together. India is excited to share and learn from Netherlands on river rejuvenation.

The President said that our economic partnership has created new opportunities for our peoples, from jobs, lifestyle choices to food. The Netherlands today is home to the largest Indian community on mainland Europe. The growing Indian student and professional community in Netherlands is making our cultural knot stronger and our technology partnership deepr

The King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom of Netherlands, and the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan jointly launched the second phase of the LOTUS-HR (Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuseplant) as a part of joint collaboration, at the Barapullah drain, in Delhi on October 14, 2019. The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Shri Anil Baijal, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan, the Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ms. Renu Swarup and other dignitaries are also seen.

His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Kingdom of Netherlands, paying floral tributes at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat, in Delhi on October 14, 2019.

The President,  Ram Nath Kovind and the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi with His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Kingdom of Netherlands, at the Ceremonial Reception, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on October 14, 2019.