Holland

India, Netherlands discuss crises
regions in Asia, Africa

Bilateral cooperation and issues relating to Afghanistan, Pakistan, West Asia and North African region were discussed by the visiting Foreign Affairs Minister of Netherlands, Prof. Dr. Uri Rosenthal with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi recently.

The discussions centered on increasing trade volumes between the two countries. The bilateral trade between the two stands at Euro 5 billion. The balance is in India’s favour. A founding member of EU and NATO, Netherlands is one of the most developed countries and the 16th largest economy globally. Netherlands is among India’s key economic partners. People of Indian origin comprise more than 1% of the country’s population.

Prof. Dr. Rosenthal expressed Netherlands’ support for India’s permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council, besides also endorsing efforts of G4 towards the said objective.

Trade and investment cooperation between India-Netherlands has grown steadily touching Euro 4.22 billion in 2010 (January to October). Netherlands remains among the top ten partners of India in terms of trade volume with positive balance of trade in favour of India. It is also the fifth largest investor in terms of cumulative FDI inflows into India during the period 2000 to 2010, amounting to US $ 4.985 billion. Indian investments into Netherlands during 2008-09 amounted to $ 2788 million, which was 17.2% of total investments abroad from India. In 2009-10 the investments were $737 million. Many Dutch multinationals and major companies like Phillips, Shell, Unilever (Hindustan Lever in India), KLM, the three big banks – ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank and others have a growing presence in India. Dutch SMEs with niche technologies and world-class expertise are also actively looking at the Indian market. Similarly, several Indian companies including major IT companies, have established their presence in the Netherlands. There have been significant merger and acquisition activities between Indian and Dutch companies including that of Tata Corus (now Tata Steel), Apollo–Vredestein, Theodoor Gilissen Bankiers-Hindujas.

There is potential for further bilateral collaboration in areas like water management, infrastructure and logistics including ports and highways, inland water transportation, biotechnology, agriculture, agro-processing, floriculture among others. Main Indian exports to the Netherlands are textiles, garments, electric machinery, agricultural products and processed foods including marine products, leather goods, organic chemicals, rubber, mineral and metal products. Main products imported from Netherlands to India are machinery, medical and optical instruments, chemicals, plastics, metal products.

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