Roadmap of India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership (2026-2030):
The Prime Minister of India paid an official visit to the Netherlands. During this visit, both nations agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” and adopted the comprehensive “Roadmap of India-Netherlands Strategic Partnership (2026-2030)”.
- India and the Netherlands upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership focused on water management, semiconductors, defence, green energy, Indo-Pacific cooperation, migration, and trade resilience.
- The partnership also highlights cultural diplomacy through the return of the Chola-era Leiden Copper Plates, while challenges remain in areas such as export controls, CBAM regulations, technology transfer, and strategic differences.
- A new annual review mechanism at the Foreign Ministers’ level will be instituted to monitor the progress of the roadmap and provide strategic guidance.
- Regular bilateral meetings between Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers, and Cabinet Ministers will be maintained, both via state visits and on the sidelines of multilateral forums.
- Leveraging annual JTIC meetings to expand trade and market access across high-potential sectors like electronics, telecommunications, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and iron & steel.
- Periodic reviews of the existing bilateral Fast Track Mechanism to facilitate cross-border investment and resolve corporate bottlenecks.
- Launching a strategic partnership under a dedicated MoU to collaborate on critical minerals exploration, research, ESG standards, and value chain diversification.
- Active promotion of two-way investments, joint ventures, and public-private partnerships, with a strong focus on enabling Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) participation.
- Commitment to renew the flagship water partnership (originally signed in 2022) until March 2027, reviewed by a Ministerial Joint Working Group.
- Collaboration on integrated water resource management, coastal zone management, flood resilience, and restoring water quality in the Ganga Basin.
- This includes creating Urban River Management Plans using the ‘Water as Leverage’ approach.
- Partnering with the India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to develop climate-and-disaster-resilient urban water frameworks globally.
- Upgrading the Joint Agriculture Working Group and expanding agricultural technology collaboration, including the establishment of Clean Plant Centres to boost sustainable agriculture.
- Strengthening research on cross-border infectious diseases, Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), and digital health via collaboration between the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
