India-Dutch synergy for business opportunities.

Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Mark Rutte have expressed the hope for an early resumption of negotiations leading to the conclusion of the Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement between India and the European Union.

The Prime Ministers noted a significant expansion in bilateral economic and commercial engagement. The Netherlands is the 5th largest source of Foreign Direct Investment for India.

Modi paid a working visit to the Netherlands on 27 June 2017.

A vast array of natural synergies provides ample opportunities for complementarity: in many sectors, India’s needs match Dutch strengths and vice versa.

In Agriculture, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Ports and Logistics and Renewable Energy promising partnerships have already been established, said a statement from the Public Information Bureau on 28 June 2019.

A key ingredient in the Indo-Dutch cooperation is the use of innovation and technology to improve water and waste management, thus contributing to the Clean India campaign.

Dutch agro-experts are involved in exploring ways to shift to crops that are less water intensive and will generate higher income for the farmer.

In this context, the Netherlands has created a consortium of fruit chain companies mainly working in hilly regions, creating a win-win situation, as India can develop its fruit sector in a faster pace with opportunities for Dutch companies and knowledge.

The Prime Ministers also noted with satisfaction that more Dutch companies are planning significant investments in India, supporting the Make in India campaign.

The two Prime Ministers appreciated the substantive investments made by Indian companies in the Dutch economy, in particular in the fields of information technology, pharmaceuticals, vaccine, iron and steel, machinery and automotive sectors.

They also took note of the competitive value that Indian companies and professionals were adding to the Dutch economy.

Taking advantage of greater technology connect through Amsterdam Internet Exchange Hub, major Indian IT and technology companies are enhancing their footprint in the Netherlands.

The space sector has seen new collaborations in space technology and the use of geo information for climate modelling and air quality prediction.

Showing a clear potential for impact, efforts are already underway to expand the public private partnership cooperation model in various areas of healthcare.

The two leaders welcomed the ongoing cooperation in the field of science and technology, particularly in biotechnology. They appreciated the joint collaborations in the field of water and waste management, big data, crop sciences, public health and medical technology.

They commended the ongoing projects in the field of water and waste management under the Dutch Indo Water Alliance Leadership Initiative (DIWALI) in Vadodara and Local Treatment of Urban Sewage Streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS) in Delhi.

The leaders reaffirmed that the Netherlands is uniquely placed as a preferred partner in India’s development in key sectors such as water management and clean water technologies; shipping and inland waterways; infrastructure development, port and airport upgrading; smart cities and smart transportation; high-tech materials and systems; renewable energy and power; sanitation and solid waste management; skill development; telecommunications, agro-processing and dairy farming; horticulture and floriculture; health; biotechnology; sports; insurance and banking.

Modi called for concerted efforts to mobilize Dutch and European private capital for investing in infrastructure opportunities in India.

Rutte called for more Indian companies and financial institutions to strengthen their presence in the Netherlands.

Both leaders agreed that an institutional partnership between the Netherlands and India would underscore the role of the Netherlands as the financial hub of Europe as well as an important source of private capital to fund India’s development.

Modi encouraged the Dutch Pension Funds to participate in India’s National Infrastructure Investment Fund.

Modi invited the Netherlands to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Rutte appreciated the lead taken by India to galvanise global action on Climate Change through the initiative and declared that the Netherlands would consider the invitation positively.

With 20% of India’s exports to Europe entering through the Netherlands, the Prime Ministers discussed the role of the Netherlands as India’s ‘Gateway to Europe’.

They assessed that this position is only expected to grow in the coming years as a result of developments in both India and Europe.

In this context, India and the Netherlands have the intention to strengthen their cooperation in the field of mobility and migration. fii-news.com