Modi keeps Europe big in India scheme of things

NEW DELHI: India continues to pivot towards Europe, as PM Modi embarks on his second visit to Europe within a month. Modi will take off for Portugal on Saturday and will be in the Netherlands for a working visit on June 27, fresh out of a summit with US President Trump in Washington.

In a departure statement, Modi said, “I will have an official meeting with the Dutch PM Mr Mark Rutte. I will also call on King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and meet Queen Maxima... I would be exchanging views with PM Rutte on important global issues including counter-terrorism and climate change.“

The Netherlands, as the third largest source of FDI in India, gets extra attention.During the PM's visit, India and the Netherlands will sign two agreements on water and cultural relations, said the Dutch ambassador, Alphonsus Stoelinga, on Friday . The Netherlands will be India's primary partner on the rejuvenation of the Ganga.

The Netherlands, Stoelinga said, was also going to share agriculture know-how with India that would help enhance productivity . “Dutch technology and know-how can meet Indian frugal innovation and ability to scale up technologies for the market,“ he said.

In a new development, Modi will interact with a group of financial firms to work out a new initiative. So far, Stoelinga said, Dutch entities had invested only in private infrastructure. “We are going to mobilise public and private capital for India's public infrastructure and agriculture,“ he said. This would be part of the discussions Modi is expected to have with about a dozen CEOs.