India and Netherlands Deepen Economic Ties During Commerce Secretary's Successful Visit

Shri Sunil Barthwal’s visit to the Netherlands has significantly reinforced the strategic economic partnership between India and the Netherlands.

 

Commerce Secretary of India, Shri Sunil Barthwal, visited the Netherlands from April 24–26, 2025, to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation between India and the Netherlands. His three-day visit highlighted India’s strategic commitment to building robust economic partnerships with the Netherlands—one of India’s key European allies in addressing global challenges and fostering innovation-led growth.

Throughout his visit, Shri Barthwal engaged in several high-level meetings, industry dialogues, and field visits that culminated in tangible outcomes, injecting fresh momentum into Indo-Dutch economic relations.

High-Level Government Meetings Lay Strong Foundations

Mr. Barthwal’s visit commenced in The Hague with a pivotal meeting with Mr. Michiel Sweers, Director General for Foreign Economic Relations at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Discussions centered on strengthening bilateral trade ties through the establishment of a Joint Trade and Investment Committee (JTIC). This institutional mechanism is envisioned to streamline policy alignment, resolve trade barriers, and create an enabling environment for smoother market access between the two economies.

The leaders reaffirmed their shared vision of leveraging complementary economic strengths, enhancing strategic cooperation, and fostering innovation across sectors critical to sustainable development. This new platform will serve as a vital instrument to institutionalize trade dialogue and bolster investment flows.

CEOs Roundtable Spurs Business and Investment Opportunities

A major highlight of the visit was the CEOs Roundtable Conference, organized by the Embassy of India in The Hague. The event gathered over 40 representatives from leading Indian and Dutch companies, prominent business chambers, and trade associations.

Discussions explored actionable solutions to enhance bilateral trade, addressing concerns raised by industry leaders. Mr. Barthwal underlined India's sweeping economic reforms—such as the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, improvements in the Ease of Doing Business rankings, and efforts to boost exports and manufacturing capacity.

Key sectors identified for collaboration included:

• Renewable energy

• Agriculture and agri-tech

• Healthcare and pharmaceuticals

• Urban development and waste management

• Logistics and maritime technologies

Adding cultural vibrancy to the event, the Embassy showcased handicrafts from India's One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, promoting India’s rich artisanal legacy. A subsequent networking session, graced by Mr. Barthwal and Ambassador Reenat Sandhu, fostered new partnerships and invigorated cross-sector engagement.

Strengthening Maritime Cooperation at the Port of Rotterdam

Mr. Barthwal visited the Port of Rotterdam, Europe’s largest and most technologically advanced port. Received by Mr. Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the Indian delegation explored opportunities for collaboration in sustainable port development, digitalization, and green logistics.

During the tour, Shri Barthwal visited the fully automated APM Terminals at Maasvlakte II, gaining firsthand insights into cutting-edge port technologies. The discussions focused on:

• Establishing a Green and Digital Corridor between Rotterdam and Indian ports like Deendayal Port Authority (Kandla).

• Exporting Green Hydrogen and green fuels such as Ammonia and Methanol from India to Europe.

• Joint initiatives to modernize Indian ports aligned with India’s Maritime Vision 2030.

Both sides expressed a strong desire to foster knowledge exchange and technological collaboration that will drive sustainable port operations and boost maritime trade connectivity.

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Exploring Semiconductor Collaboration with ASML

The visit to ASML headquarters in Veldhoven was a crucial step in India’s quest to build a resilient semiconductor ecosystem. Shri Barthwal engaged in an in-depth dialogue with Mr. Christophe Fouquet, CEO of ASML, a global leader in photolithography systems critical to chip manufacturing.

Key areas of focus included:

• Facilitating ASML’s potential role in India's semiconductor fabrication ambitions under the India Semiconductor Mission.

• Attracting high-technology investments through India’s incentive policies.

• Promoting innovation-led semiconductor manufacturing and research collaborations.

Mr. Barthwal showcased India’s emerging semiconductor policy landscape and highlighted India as an attractive destination for technology-driven industries, with robust infrastructure support and a strong talent pool.

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Deepening Innovation Partnerships and Startup Ecosystem Ties

Alongside, Joint Secretary Shri Saket Kumar met with Mr. Tjerk Opmeer, Deputy Director General for Enterprise and Innovation at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Their discussions highlighted synergies in fostering startups, technology innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Through the Indo-Dutch Startup Link initiative, both countries committed to advancing:

• Startup exchanges

• Technology collaborations

• Innovation-driven joint ventures

• Emerging areas such as space technology cooperation

This collaboration aligns with India's broader innovation drive under initiatives like Startup India and strengthens the Netherlands’ role as a vital knowledge partner.

A New Era of India-Netherlands Economic Cooperation

Shri Sunil Barthwal’s visit to the Netherlands has significantly reinforced the strategic economic partnership between India and the Netherlands. From trade facilitation mechanisms to maritime cooperation, semiconductor collaborations, and startup innovation exchanges, the visit has created a multifaceted roadmap for future engagements.

The tangible outcomes from the visit not only pave the way for stronger bilateral ties but also contribute to building resilient, future-ready economies amid evolving global challenges. As both countries look ahead, a deeper and more diversified India-Netherlands economic relationship appears firmly within reach.