State visit to India
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima are to pay a state visit to the Republic of India at the invitation of President Ram Nath Kovind. The trip will take place from 14 to 18 October 2019. The King and Queen will visit the cities of New Delhi and Mumbai, and the state of Kerala.
The state visit reaffirms the excellent relations between India and the Netherlands. The cooperation between India and the European Union and the Netherlands is strategically important, not least in light of India’s emergence as an Asian superpower and its role in the region. India’s economic potential provides opportunities for closer cooperation in such fields as climate, agriculture and healthcare. The links between the Netherlands and India go back a long way, as is evident from the shared cultural heritage in Kerala, for instance. There is also a sizeable Indian diaspora community in the Netherlands, the second biggest in the EU.
The King and Queen will be accompanied on their visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stef Blok. The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Sigrid Kaag, the Minister for Healthcare, Bruno Bruins, and the State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Mona Keijzer, will head a broad parallel trade mission to India to capitalise on the potential for economic partnership.
The Netherlands has also been invited by India to be partner country for the 25th Technology Summit in New Delhi. A number of different sectors will be represented at this technology and innovation fair, including agriculture, water and healthcare.