David van Weel, the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, arrived in India on Thursday for a visit aimed at strengthening and diversifying bilateral ties. During his stay, he will engage in meetings in Delhi and Mumbai. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, shared the details on X, stating, “Welkom in India! FM David van Weel @ministerBZ of the Netherlands arrived in New Delhi today. His visit and engagements in Delhi and Mumbai will focus on further deepening and diversifying India-Netherlands bilateral ties.”

The high-level visit precedes the scheduled visit of Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in February next year. In an interview with ANI, Marisa Gerards, the Dutch Ambassador to India, noted that the Prime Minister will lead a delegation for the AI Impact Summit in February 2026, including CEOs such as the head of Philips, other business leaders, and representatives from technical universities.

David van Weel’s trip follows the 13th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and the Netherlands earlier this December. The discussions reviewed the progress of bilateral relations and explored new areas of cooperation. Both countries focused on strengthening partnerships in sectors such as critical technologies, innovation, semiconductors, AI, science and technology, green hydrogen, shipping, defense, and security, alongside priority areas under the Water, Agriculture, and Health (WAH) agenda.

Acknowledging the Netherlands as a key economic partner for India in Europe, both sides highlighted consistent growth in trade and investment. They emphasized the importance of concluding the India-EU Free Trade Agreement by the end of this year, following guidance from Indian and EU leadership during the visit of the EU College of Commissioners in February.

India and the Netherlands maintain a robust bilateral relationship grounded in shared democratic values, with multifaceted cooperation. The countries also have a Strategic Partnership on Water, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange in flood management, clean water technologies, and other related areas.