Hon’ble Foreign Minister H.E David van Weel

Excellencies,

Representatives of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and International Organizations present in the Netherlands

Fellow Ambassadors & Diplomatic colleagues

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to this reception held on the occasion of the 77th Republic Day of India. My special welcome and gratitude to His Excellency Mr David van Weel, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands for taking time out of his very busy schedule and gracing the reception today as our Chief Guest.

It may not be possible for me to name each guest individually, but I acknowledge the presence of all of you present today including dignitaries in our midst, Secretary General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs MOFA H.E Christian Rebergan, Director General of OPCW Amb Fernando Arias, Secretary General of PCA Amb Marcin Czepelak, Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities Amb Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Registrar of the International Court of Justice Mr Philippe Gautier, Secretary General of Hague Academy of International Law Mr Jean-Marc Thouvenin, Ambassador of the Netherlands to India and my friend Marisa Gerards, Director Asia & Oceania MOFA Dominique Kuhling, and others.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On 26 January, 76 years ago, the Constitution of India came into force. On 15 August, 79 years ago, India became independent. It will be important to remind however that India’s existence as a nation has been much longer than seven decades, and that our civilizational history has been several millennia old. But speaking of our journey since 1947, India has come a long way .

• In the last decade alone, the Indian economy has grown from being the 11th largest to the 4th largest in the world in nominal terms and is now the fastest growing major economy in recent years. India’s GDP grew by 8.2% in Q2 of 2025-26.

• Today, India stands as the third-largest domestic aviation market and one of the fastest-growing markets globally.

• Today, more than half of the world’s digital transactions take place in India, numbering 20 billion transactions per month, worth about 300 billion USD every month.

• India’s 5G subscriber base is projected to surge to 980 million by 2030, from 290 million in 2024

• We are currently building approx 30 kms of highways everyday, and our target is to double this pace.

• Ten years ago, there were fewer than 500 startups in the country; today, this number has risen to more than 200,000. In 2014, India had only four unicorns; today, India has nearly 125 active unicorns.

• And all this is being achieved fully keeping in mind our environmental obligations. India's solar energy generation capacity has increased thirty-two times in the last ten years, making it the third-largest solar energy producer globally. In 2025, India achieved a major milestone with over 50% of its total installed electricity capacity coming from non-fossil fuel sources, five years ahead of its 2030 Paris Agreement target. India is committed to achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

India is in a period of rapid transformation where the Government is providing an enabling environment for its people to create a prosperous future. Although challenges remain, we are committed to reform-transform-perform. And, in our developmental journey, we are also committed to building collaborative partnerships with other countries - with our international partners and friends - and continue moving forward as a responsible global player.

Quoting from my Prime Minister Modi’s recent remarks:

when the world speaks of slowdown, India writes a story of growth;

when the world faces a crisis of trust, India is becoming a pillar of trust; and

when the world moves towards fragmentation, India is emerging as a bridge-builder

Ladies and Gentlemen,

India and the Kingdom of the Netherlands share long-standing historical ties that underpin a close friendship and a growing modern partnership. Last one year continued the trend of intensive political engagements. The meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Dick Schoof in Johannesburg in November 2025, and the visit of Foreign Minister David van Weel to India last month, underscored shared vision on deepening cooperation. In the last one year, there have been three visits at the level of Foreign Minister in both directions, as well as about a dozen other visits at ministerial / vice ministerial levels. We are confident this pace will further intensify. The Embassy of India is grateful to the Govt of the Netherlands, and your Ministry, Excellency, for all the assistance and partnership.

India’s relations with the European Union are also undergoing a transformation. Today, the President of the European Council, Mr. António Costa and President of the European Commission Ms. Ursula von der Leyen are on a State Visit to India as Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Ms Kaja Kallas is also in India. Their presence underscores the growing strength of the India-European Union partnership and our commitment to shared values. On this occasion, India and the EU are expected to conclude important agreements and understanding, including in the areas of trade and investment, security, strengthening of joint comprehensive strategic agenda, etc. At the Summit, a EU–India Security and Defence Partnership will be concluded, which will deliver concrete results in areas such as maritime security, cybersecurity, and counterterrorism. Quoting from EC President Ursula von der Loyen : “A successful India makes the world more stable, prosperous and secure.”

Lastly, people-to-people links are central to the relationship. The Indian community in the Netherlands has continued to make its impact felt in the burgeoning India-Netherlands relationship. Through hard work, diligence and sincerity, this vibrant community is contributing significantly to the social and economic fabric of Netherlands, creating wealth for the local economy, and at the same time, continuing to act as a vital bridge between India and the Netherlands. With your permission, I will greet them in Hindi. मेरे प्यारे मित्रो , यहाँ उपस्थित भारतीय समुदाय के सभी सदस्यों को मैं हार्दिक शुभ कामनाएं देता हूँ , आप लोग हमारे दो देशों के सम्बन्ध प्रगाढ़ करने के लिए जो योगदान दे रहे हैं, उसके लिए बहुत धन्यवाद। (Dear friends, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the Indian diaspora present today. I thank you for the contributions you are making to strenghten bilateral ties between India and the Netherlands)

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I now propose to raise a toast:

To the health, prosperity and happiness of the people of India and the Netherlands and to the special friendship between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Thank you.