The Netherlands intends to help a free commerce settlement (FTA) between India and the European Union, the Netherlands Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra mentioned. In an interplay with Aanchal Magazine, Hoekstra mentioned a “broader EU-India FTA would provide more opportunities for India towards the whole European continent … the Dutch government could do, in facilitating that.” Edited excerpts:
The Netherlands is the fifth largest overseas investor in India. What are your ideas on having a bilateral funding safety settlement with India? Is there any timeline for a brand new settlement?
These issues typically take longer, even when everyone seems to be working very diligently on it. I’ve been a Minister of Finance for 4 years and, due to this fact, I do know from expertise that any kind of treaty even amongst the closest of buddies typically does take fairly some time to get to alter and enhance. What I’d very a lot hope —and wherein I’d personally actually need to make investments and that the identical is true for the entire Cabinet right here — is to be sure that we create a majority of these preparations with India. And, after all, some belongings you organise nationally, however a subject you contact upon, can be one thing that I’d very a lot love to do with the European Union, presuming that might be attention-grabbing for India as properly. An EU Free Trade Agreement is one thing we might clearly help. We are very, very impressed by the capabilities India has by way of commerce. I believe there are numerous issues that we share. There are many issues which have offered tickets to work on a fair higher future. I’ve been to India additionally as a non-public citizen and I’ve many buddies from India, from the time I spent at INSEAD … I used to be really impressed by the enterprise sense and the knack for commerce alternatives which are sensed each in India and likewise amongst my Indian buddies … the trades, and a knack for doing enterprise is clearly one thing that additionally unites the Netherlands and India. There is quite a bit that we may do collectively in that realm and I’m very a lot wanting ahead to that.
How do you count on the India-EU FTA to have an effect on the connection between India and the Netherlands?
We would very a lot help a free commerce settlement between the EU and India as a result of our evaluation is that it could give an extra impulse to our already wonderful bilateral relationship. Our enterprise relationship is of large significance, however I believe a broader EU-India FTA would additionally present extra alternatives for India in direction of the entire European continent. And if there’s something that I may do, that the Dutch authorities may do, in facilitating that, and serving to all that, we might, after all, be delighted to take action. These issues, in my opinion, are really win-win. It is growing the scale of the pie, ensuring that each nations profit and, on this case, if we might come to any settlement with you, that might additionally imply the 27-plus. Of course, India will profit and will probably be for the higher of our two nations, of all of the nations concerned and will probably be higher for all of the residents concerned. Of course, that’s what we must always all the time take into account, how will we be sure that we create extra prosperity, extra stability and a brighter future for the following technology?
India has reservations on opening up the dairy sector, which is the highest export sector for the Netherlands. How do you see it getting resolved?
Dairy is an space wherein we now have a long-standing custom, we now have lots of experience. We are humbled that many international locations internationally in Africa and Asia make use of the export of our dairy merchandise, be it milk or cheese or all types of issues which are associated to dairy. If in that particular space, we may enhance our collaboration, then I might be delighted to take action. There is a good alternative that dairy is, as many people know, is significant for the younger ones and likewise for toddlers, kids, folks of our age, but in addition the aged. So, if there is a chance, then let’s search to profit from it.
India has an extended relationship with the Netherlands, which is 75 years outdated now. But now there’s a disaster additionally on this area, with India abstaining from voting towards Russia on the UN. Because of this, does the connection get affected in any method? How does the Netherlands view its relation with India?
To us, the connection with India is of significant significance. India is actually one of many geopolitical powers on the planet. We’re wanting in all, not solely on the measurement of India, but in addition of the dynamism that we see, the broad outreach that we see in direction of the world, in your individual area, but in addition at giant. And once more, we’re really very impressed additionally by the enterprise sense, and all of the developments that we’ve seen within the final couple of a long time, it’s really very spectacular. So, to the Netherlands, and likewise to the EU, the connection is of significant significance.
Secondly, to me, it’s crystal clear that should you have a look at all of the belongings that India has, and what it’s offering to the world, it’s clearly one of many nations, taking part in a really, crucial position on the world stage. And what we might, after all, hope is that India would additionally need to have interaction on subjects which are clearly entrance and centre within the newspapers, given the present disaster. I’ve a wonderful relationship and an incredible dialogue with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. And what we, after all, hope, usually talking, is that each one the peace-loving nations — all of the nations which are preventing for stability, peace, democracy, prosperity like India, just like the Netherlands, and like so many others, that we additionally clarify to everybody that this isn’t solely necessary in Ukraine, this isn’t solely necessary within the areas bordering Ukraine, however that is very important curiosity for the way forward for the world. And that’s one thing that I underline in all my bilateral contacts. And I’m additionally very a lot wanting ahead to persevering with this necessary and, by the way in which, extraordinarily fruitful dialogue with India.
The Indian President is coming to go to this nation. What can we count on from this go to?
For me, what’s an important factor: it’s testimony to our friendship and partnership. And to articulates as soon as once more, for us however hopefully additionally for our buddies in India, how tremendously necessary the connection is from an financial perspective, a geopolitical perspective, a perspective of nations which are like-minded of their want to be sure that democracies prosper. We are solely a tiny little democracy in comparison with India, however it’s one thing that we clearly share. And we additionally clearly share a want to make the world a greater and extra secure place. And for us, this isn’t solely an affidavit, however it is usually a sign to our friendship and a transparent funding that the each international locations intend to make in making an incredible friendship and an incredible relationship even higher. And some issues may really materialise throughout the state go to. But this stuff for my part — in my expertise — are all the time catalysts for extra to come back. It is nearly like pushing a quick ahead button on financial subjects, diplomatic subjects, tax treaties, a lot of this stuff. It principally means it’s a sign to all our workers and nation, our enterprise neighborhood that we’re useless critical about this, that we need to profit from it. And that can be why I’m so delighted that we now have the 2 heads of state being collectively and ensuring we profit from the entire programme.
(The correspondent was in The Hague on the invitation of the Netherlands authorities)
