Piyush Goyal holds high-level meetings in Netherlands to boost trade, investment ties
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal held a series of high-level meetings with Dutch government leaders, parliamentarians and business representatives on October 26 to strengthen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation between India and the Netherlands.
The engagements focused on identifying new business opportunities, expanding market access and promoting collaboration between Indian and Dutch enterprises across key sectors.
During his visit, Goyal met Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands; Heleen Herbert, Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate; and Arthur van Dijk, King’s Commissioner of the Province of North Holland.
The minister also interacted with members of the Dutch House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation and the Senate Committee on European Affairs. The discussions covered bilateral economic relations, trade and investment opportunities, and the broader India-European Union economic partnership.
India-Netherlands Business Forum Focuses on India-EU FTA
An important highlight of the visit was the India-Netherlands Business Forum, jointly chaired by Piyush Goyal and Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. The forum witnessed participation from around 200 people, including leading representatives of Indian and Dutch businesses.
The discussions focused on opportunities emerging from the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), particularly in expanding bilateral trade, strengthening investment partnerships, improving market access and promoting cooperation across key sectors.
Participants highlighted the complementary strengths of the Indian and Dutch economies and the need for closer industry-to-industry engagement to translate the opportunities under the FTA into concrete business partnerships and investments.
The forum also underscored the importance of strengthening supply chain integration between India and Europe.
Engagements with Dutch Industry Leaders
As part of his industry-focused programme, Goyal held one-to-one meetings with chief executive officers of several prominent Dutch companies representing sectors such as semiconductor technology, electronics, logistics, energy, industrial solutions, technology and retail.
The meetings provided an opportunity to discuss business priorities and explore potential areas of collaboration between companies in the two countries.
The minister also participated in a roundtable with chief experience officers (CXOs) of 15 Dutch companies. The event was organised by the Embassy of India in The Hague in collaboration with HSBC Netherlands.
The roundtable facilitated discussions on investment opportunities, commercial partnerships and ways to deepen economic cooperation. It also provided a platform for business leaders to exchange views on the investment environment and identify avenues for stronger private-sector engagement.
Strategic Partnership with the Netherlands
During his interaction with the media, Goyal highlighted the growing momentum in India-Netherlands economic relations, particularly following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership and the conclusion of the India-EU FTA.
He emphasised the opportunities for expanding trade, investment and technology partnerships, while underlining the Netherlands’ role as a gateway to European markets.
The minister also highlighted India’s economic growth, investment opportunities and commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Netherlands and the wider European Union.
