The land of Tulips awaits President Kovind’s visit

By (Mrs) Amb Narinder Chauhan

The President of India is visiting the Netherlands in the first week of April, 2022. Netherlands strongly reminds one of Tulips particularly since we are in the tulip season that runs from end March until mid-May. During this period the tulips transform big parts of the country into a colorful patchwork quilt. More than 7 million flower bulbs bloom in spring at the Keukenhof gardens, the world’s biggest flower exhibition. 30 minutes’ drive from Amsterdam, Keukenhof is the most beautiful spring garden in the world which shows flowers not only outdoors, but also indoors.

The long spring season with cold nights makes The Netherlands the perfect country for tulip growing. The meaning of tulips is generally perfect love; its different colors also carry their own significance: red tulips are most strongly associated with true love, while purple symbolizes royalty. In fact, 15 January is the national Tulip Day in the Netherlands when fresh tulips grown in greenhouses are for sale in every flower shop in Holland. The flowers are said to have been introduced to the country in the late 16th century by a biologistCarolus Clausius from Vienna. I had occasion to visit Keukenhof in 2002 from Brussels where I was posted. My admiration for tulips grew further when posted in Ottawa which every year receives a gift of 10,000 tulips as a mark of gratitude for the Canadian forces that liberated Holland from the Nazis during the II WW; Ottawa also hosted the Dutch royal family during the five-year Nazi occupation.

India-Dutch relations go back to more than 400 years; official relations were established in 1947. India’s economic growth, its large market and its pool of knowledge workers are of interest to The Netherlands. The two countries also share common ideals of democracy, pluralism, and the rule of law. Bilateral ties have been marked by growing official and commercial relations. The Netherlands hosts the second largest Indian diaspora (after the UK) in Europe and the largest Indian diaspora community in mainland Europe including 3000 students.

This year India and The Netherlands are commemorating 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. To mark the occasion, a special logo has been unveiled to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations. The Netherlands was one of the first countries to recognize India’s independence. There are Dutch investments in India and there are Indian companies based in the Netherlands.

To celebrate strong political, economic, and commercial relations many events and activities are planned during the year in a wide range of areas of cooperation including water, agriculture, food processing, innovation, energy, climate, smart cities, urban mobility, and culture. As a mark of friendship, the Netherlands have presented to India 3000 fresh tulips which have been planted at the Ministry of External Affairs in Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan.

The core of bilateral relations remains trade and business cooperation. Dutch investments in India total USD 36.28 bn, standing at the fourth position. Bilateral trade is $6.5bn in 2020-21, over 200 Dutch companies are present in India and an equal number of Indian companies are present in The Netherlands, including all major Indian IT companies.

Among other things, India is making use of the Dutch water expertise which is said to be the best in the world. The Dutch have mastered the art of flood control, water delivery, and treatment over many decades. Water technology, marine technology and delta technology are the three main emphasis areas in the water sector. A framework called the Dutch Indo Water 3 Alliance Leadership Initiative (DIWALI) has been developed to identify solutions for water related challenges. Accordingly, both the countries are working closely to prepare a framework of global water pact, based on water security initiatives from across the world, including India’s Jal Jeevan mission, which promises access to drinking water for all. India’s efforts under the Jal Shakti ministry can be replicated in different parts of the world. The global water pact will be discussed at the UN water conference in 2023 which will set the agenda for acting on sustainable water management. Focus on water security is also of critical importance in the context of covid pandemic.

Agriculture is a crucial pillar of the Dutch economy. Netherlands is renowned for its knowhow in agriculture and is among the frontrunners in efficient and sustainable production systems and processes. Realizing the importance of India as an emerging market that will reshape the global economy, The Netherlands is providing trade related technical assistance to India to become the food factory of the world. The Netherlands has power to connect India’s production capacity to consumers worldwide by excellent logistics and cold chain. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agriculture products totaling US 100bn annually and has vast experience in managing supply chains, food, and flowers to market destinations. It can help produce food in an efficient and sustainable way. In Bangalore, particularly, Dutch experts are present in many training institutes with a view to make agriculture more resilient in the light of climate change. The latest drive is circularity, if we can make agriculture circular with less inputs, we can reduce waste, and make food production climate resilient.

President Kovind’s State visit to the Netherlands during April 4-7 takes place a year after the virtual Summit held in April 2021 at PM level. The Netherlands continues to be among the top 5 investors in India and has been invited to take advantage of huge opportunities in India’s manufacturing, infrastructure, and clean energy sectors. Both sides also have shared concerns in Afghanistan, the Indo pacific, maritime cooperation, supply chain resilience and climate action. India and Netherlands also cooperate through the EU dialogue framework and at the UN, and other international fora including G 20 which India is set to host next year. The situation in Ukraine is also bound to come up during the forthcoming official talks.

Note: the Netherlands, Holland and Dutch are used interchangeably.

(The author is a former Indian ambassador. She tweets:@nchauhanifs Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited).