Indian PM Modi begins European tour with meeting of Dutch royals

Published connected 16/05/2026 - 16:39 GMT+2•Updated 16:42

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kicked disconnected the European limb of his authoritative circuit with a gathering with the Dutch King and Queen successful The Hague.

Modi is presently connected a six-day travel crossed the Middle East and Europe that began successful the United Arab Emirates and volition aboriginal spot him sojourn Sweden, Norway, and Italy, gathering a big of cardinal leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Modi met with the Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, arsenic good arsenic a fig of Dutch concern executives, astatine the Huis 10 Bosch Palace connected Saturday.

He is besides gathering with Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten to sermon topics including defence, security, innovation, and energy.

Addressing members of the Indian assemblage successful The Hague earlier successful the day, Modi lauded increasing commercialized and economical partnerships betwixt India and the Netherlands and highlighted exertion and innovation arsenic emerging absorption areas.

The Netherlands is simply a cardinal trading spouse for India, with bilateral commercialized worthy USD 27.8 cardinal successful 2024-25, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs.

The 3rd limb of Modi's travel volition spot him conscionable with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to "review the full gamut of bilateral relations," the ministry said successful a property release.

The brace are besides acceptable to code the European Round Table for Industry successful Sweden alongside von der Leyen.

Von der Leyen besides met with Modi successful January astatine the 16th EU-India summit, wherever the bloc successfully completed negotiations connected a escaped commercialized statement with New Delhi. The woody aims to trim tariffs and reddish tape, which the EU hopes volition facilitate commercialized and payment consumers.

From there, Modi volition determination connected to Oslo for the 3rd India-Nordic summit, where's he's scheduled to conscionable with the leaders of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Talks volition absorption connected the nations' practice connected technology, renewable energies, defence, abstraction and the Arctic region, India's External Affairs Ministry said.

Modi's circuit volition decorativeness up successful Italy connected 20 May with a sojourn to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

In 2024, Modi and Meloni committed to a "Joint Strategic Action Plan," agreeing to physique practice successful a fig of areas including information and defence, arsenic good arsenic promoting "safe and ineligible migration channels."