Netherlands upbeat on Make in India, to help Clean Ganga mission

Throwing its weight behind the “Make in India” campaign, the Netherlands has forged a multi-faceted development partnership with India and pledged support for the Clean Ganga mission.

The Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is on a two-day visit to India, met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 5, and held wide-ranging discussion on an array of bilateral and global issues.

The meeting followed a luncheon discussion hosted by Mr Modi with 35 CEOs of leading industries of both countries. The European country’s enthusiasm for Make in India was evident in the agreement signed between Cochin Shipyards Limited (CSL) of India and Dutch Shipbuilder Royal IHC to build dredges in India, which included transfer of technology from IHC to CSL.

In sync with Prime Minister Modi’s mantra of blending diplomacy with development, the European country showed a keen interest in a host of programmes of national renewal, including “Make in India”, “Digital India”, “Skill India”, “Clean India” “Affordable Housing for All”, “Ganga Rejuvenation Plan” and “Smart Cities.” The two sides agreed that these programmes offered immense opportunities for Indian and Dutch industries to collaborate. These campaigns also have substantial potential to qualitatively upgrade bilateral economic engagement between the two nations.

Enhancing counter-terror cooperation figured prominently in discussions. The two prime ministers underscored the need to jointly combat terrorism and violent extremism. The two countries agreed to set up a Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism. The first meeting of this group will be held on June 19, 2015.

India’s manufacturing sector has witnessed a colossal growth in last few years and is poised to touch US$ 1 trillion by 2025. Since the launch of the Make in India campaign, many countries around the world have shown substantial interest in this sector.

Considering India’s high potential in manufacturing, the two leaders signed an agreement on manufacturing of Measles and Rubella Vaccine in India. They also agreed on the transfer of technology to develop India’s manufacturing and health sectors.

The Dutch prime minister admired Narendra Modi-led “Clean Ganga Mission”, and agreed to deploy a Dutch team to draw up a roadmap for collaboration in the Clean Ganga Mission.

Mr Rutte supported India’s bid for the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, as well as India’s candidature for the Security Council in 2021-22.

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