India-Netherlands Roadmap for Cooperation

During the recent visit of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, India and the Netherlands inked a number of agreements, including collaborate in building dredgers in India as part of the 'Make in India' initiative and manufacture vaccines against measles and rubella in India.

Key Points

• Both sides have agreed to benefit from closer bilateral and multilateral collaboration, including in areas like countering terrorism and extremism, defence, maritime security and cyber-security.
  
  
• Both sides have agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism.
  
  
• The agreement on manufacturing of dredgers in India at the Cochin Shipyard is a step in India's efforts to develop Indian shipyards. Cochin Shipyards Limited (CSL) and Dutch Shipbuilder Royal IHC are to jointly build dredgers in India, including transfer of technology from IHC to CSL.
  
  
• The agreement on manufacturing of measles, and rubella vaccine in India, with transfer of technology, was yet another step to develop India's manufacturing sector, and improve healthcare.
  
  
• Both sides have agreed to leverage Dutch expertise in developing coastal roads and metro lines in India and also set up a Joint Working Group on Skill Development.
  
  
• In renewable energy, both are partnering in developing joint pilot projects for an electric vehicle ecosystem in India.
  
  
• Both are setting up centres of excellence in areas like horticulture and animal husbandry, which are areas of strong Dutch competence.
  
  
• A Dutch team will soon visit India to draw up a roadmap for collaboration in the National Clean Ganga Mission.
  
  
• India conveyed its decision to include the Netherlands in India's Electronic Tourist Visa scheme. This will boost Dutch tourism in India and enhance our people-to-people ties.
  
  
• Both sides also agreed to expand bilateral security and defense cooperation and welcomed the possibility of Dutch participation in India's 'Make in India' initiative in the defence sector.
  
  
• Netherlands and Maharashtra are to collaborate in infrastructure development and delivery in and around Mumbai city, including an integrated approach to challenges related to a coastal road and metro.
  
  
• A MoU was inked between the Telangana government and Wageningen University of the Netherlands for a knowledge partnership and collaborative research in the agribusiness sector like cold chain infrastructure, livestock and horticulture production system in the southern state.
  
  
• The Netherlands is home to the second largest Indian diaspora in Europe.

The Joint Statement after the meeting of two Prime Ministers outline the roadmap for cooperation in sectors of mutual interest, like infrastructure development, shipping, ports and inland waterways; renewable energy; science and technology; health and sports.