Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India and the Netherlands were working together to establish a trusted, transparent and future-ready supply chain as the world grapples with a series of unprecedented crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic, wars and an emerging energy crisis.
Addressing a large Indian community gathering in The Hague during the second leg of his five-nation tour, Modi warned that the current decade was turning into a “decade of disasters” and cautioned that years of global development gains could be reversed if the situation did not improve quickly.
“First came the Corona pandemic; then wars began to break out, and now there is an energy crisis. This decade is turning into a decade of disasters for the world,” Modi said.
He added that if the global situation was not addressed rapidly, “the achievements of the past many decades will be washed away, and a huge section of the world's population will drown in poverty”.
Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister said resilient and reliable supply chains had become a global priority, with India and the Netherlands collaborating closely in the area.
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“In such times, the world is talking about a resilient supply chain, and for that, India and the Netherlands are making endeavours to establish a trusted and transparent future-ready supply chain,” he said.
Modi also highlighted the expanding strategic and economic partnership between the two countries, saying cooperation was steadily growing in sectors such as energy security, water management, technology and innovation.
Referring to the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, he said the pact would further deepen bilateral cooperation and position the Netherlands as a gateway for Indian businesses entering Europe.
“The Netherlands will become a natural gateway for Indian businesses to enter Europe, and our Indian community can serve as a trusted bridge in this journey,” he said.
In a symbolic reference to the cultural ties between the two nations, Modi invoked the tulip — associated with the Netherlands — and the lotus, India’s national flower.
“The Netherlands is known for tulips, just as India is known for the lotus. Both the tulip and the lotus teach us that whether the roots are in water or in the earth, one gains both beauty and strength,” he said.
The Prime Minister praised the Indian diaspora for strengthening ties between the two countries and lauded the contributions of the Surinami-Hindustani community in preserving Indian culture across generations.
Highlighting India’s transformation, Modi said the country was emerging as a global hub for technology, startups and innovation.
“India’s youth aspires to propel the country forward in the fields of AI and semiconductors. India is home to the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem,” he said.
The Prime Minister also urged the diaspora to increase investments in India and assured overseas Indians that the government remained committed to their welfare.
Modi arrived in the Netherlands after concluding the UAE leg of his tour.
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