Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, continued his visit to the Netherlands on 26 October 2026 with a series of high-level engagements with Dutch government leaders, parliamentarians and leading representatives of Dutch companies. The engagements focused on strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, expanding trade and investment, and identifying new opportunities for collaboration between Indian and Dutch enterprises.
Shri Piyush Goyal held meetings with Mr. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ms. Heleen Herbert, Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate and Mr. 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. These engagements provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on bilateral economic relations, trade and investment, and the broader India-European Union economic partnership.
An important segment of the day was the India–Netherlands Business Forum, jointly chaired by Shri Piyush Goyal, and Mr. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands. The Forum witnessed participation of approximately 200 people, including leading representatives of Indian and Dutch businesses.
The Forum focused on the significant opportunities emerging from the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, particularly in expanding bilateral trade, strengthening investment partnerships, enhancing market access and fostering collaboration across key sectors. The discussions highlighted the complementary strengths of the Indian and Dutch economies and the importance of closer industry-to-industry engagement in translating the opportunities under the FTA into concrete business partnerships, investments and stronger integration of supply chains between India and Europe.
As part of his industry-focused programme, Shri Piyush Goyal held one-to-one meetings with CEOs from several prominent Dutch companies. The meetings provided opportunities to engage with industry leaders on business priorities and potential areas of cooperation. The companies represented a range of sectors, including semiconductor technology, electronics, logistics, energy and industrial solutions, technology, and retail.
Shri Piyush Goyal also participated in a roundtable with CXOs of 15 Dutch companies, organised by the Embassy in the Hague in collaboration with HSBC Netherlands.
The roundtable facilitated direct engagement with business leaders on opportunities for investment, commercial partnerships and deeper economic cooperation between India and the Netherlands. It also provided a forum for exchanging perspectives on the business environment and identifying avenues for stronger private-sector collaboration.
Shri Piyush Goyal also interacted with media representatives during his visit. The Minister 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 Free Trade Agreement. He underscored the significant opportunities for expanding trade, investment and technology partnerships, and emphasised the Netherlands’ important role as a gateway to European markets. The interaction also provided an opportunity to highlight India’s economic growth, investment opportunities and commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Netherlands and the wider European Union.
Abhishek Dayal/ Shabbir Azad/ Ishita Biswas