Opening remarks by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar during his meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, David van Weel (December 19, 2025)

Minister, first of all, let me welcome you to Delhi because you have been in India for a few days, and I am really delighted that on this visit you have had an opportunity not just to meet some of my colleagues, but also to see some parts of India and some areas of common interest. I would like to perhaps start off with the meeting which our Prime Minister and your Prime Minister had in Johannesburg, and I think they reiterated their commitment to take this relationship forward.

We, of course, value our relations with Netherlands enormously - bilaterally as well as a key player in the European Union. Today as we meet, we will recognize that a number of important agreements have been reached in the last few months, which have added more dimensions to our cooperation. We also count on your support as we are moving to what I hope is a decisive phase in our negotiations with the European Union on the Free Trade Agreement.

We have a Strategic Partnership in Water, a very strong cooperation in Agriculture, Health, Science & Technology and Shipping.

But with the new areas of cooperation, important areas of cooperation like semiconductors now coming up, I think there is scope for raising the ambition of our relationship. So whether it is semiconductors, digital, cyberspace or life sciences, we would like to work more closely with you. I would, of course, also like to get your perspectives on global and regional issues. So I look forward to your discussions.

I would invite you to say a few words before we get into our talks. Thank you.

New Delhi
December 19, 2025