The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) urged Dutch companies to pair investment in India with supplier support and project milestones ahead of a ministerial visit, PTI reported.
The Embassy of India in the Netherlands reported US$23.287 billion in merchandise trade between the countries in FY2025-26. Indian exports were US$17.501 billion and imports were US$5.786 billion, leaving India with a trade surplus of US$11.714 billion. The embassy profile put trade at US$27.758 billion in FY2024-25 but did not explain the decrease.
PTI reported that FICCI Secretary General Anant Swarup called for programs to help Indian micro, small and medium enterprises meet Dutch companies’ quality, traceability and sustainability requirements. He also urged companies to assign project counterparts, set milestones and establish a way to resolve implementation problems.
The reported proposals include joint ventures and capacity expansion in engineering, equipment, food processing and technology-intensive industries. Swarup also backed partnerships among companies, research institutions and startups to develop products and commercialize technologies. He said the approach could support Indian production facilities serving “both domestic and export markets,” PTI reported.
The embassy profile, citing the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), lists cumulative Dutch foreign direct investment equity inflows at US$56.676 billion from April 2000 through March 2026. It ranks the Netherlands as India’s fourth-largest source of such inflows.
India and the European Union concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement on Jan. 27, 2026. On Sept. 11, the European Commission proposed that the Council authorize the agreement’s signature and conclusion. The European Parliament’s procedure page listed the agreement in the preparatory phase.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s Netherlands visit is scheduled for Oct. 24-27, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said. About 100 businesses and startups are due to accompany him on his Germany and Netherlands trip. The program schedules a Port of Rotterdam visit for Sunday, Oct. 25, and an India-Netherlands Business Forum in The Hague for Monday, Oct. 26, with roundtables on logistics, supply-chain links, manufacturing and technology.
