Jaishankar seeks Dutch push for ‘decisive phase’ of India-EU trade pact talks

NEW new delhi: bharat and the nederland on fri discussed slipway to deepen their cooperation in strategic areas such as semiconductors, cyberspace and technology, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar seeking the support of his Dutch counterpart David van Weel for the conclusion of the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement.Van Weel, who began a visit to India by travelling to Mumbai on Wednesday, also focused on deepening defence and security cooperation during meetings with Jaishankar, defence minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The two sides concluded a letter of intent on Thursday to provide a framework for defence cooperation.Jaishankar noted that the two sides have strong cooperation in traditional areas such as agriculture, health, science, and shipping, but new areas offer scope for “raising the ambition of our relationship”.“Whether it is semiconductors, digital, cyberspace or life sciences, we would like to work more closely with you,” he added.With India and the EU in the final stages of negotiations for a trade deal that is expected to be signed in January, Jaishankar said: “We count on your support as we are moving to what I hope is a decisive phase in our negotiations with the EU on the free trade agreement.”Van Weel told a small group of reporters after his meetings that he wasn’t aware of any “big sticking points” that could hold up the India-EU FTA.“Hopefully, that will happen in the very near future. I know EU officials will be visiting India as guests on your Republic Day, so I’m sure that everybody wants this to be concluded as soon as possible,” he said.He, however, acknowledged that trade negotiations are “very complicated” and “carry on until the last moment”. He added, “It’s never easy, the EU is 27 nations with different economies, different interests, so all free trade agreements take time to come to fruition.”Van Weel said his discussions with Indian leaders focused on regional stability, the Indo-Pacific and cooperation in a fast-changing world, especially at a time when there is “pressure on the openness of the oceans and on adherence to UNCLOS” (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).“The Netherlands [has] been dependent on the high seas and free passage of trade in order to thrive as an open economy,” he said. “This is something that we want to cooperate on.”As part of efforts to intensify defence cooperation, a Dutch frigate will make a port call at Kochi in May 2026, said Van Weel, who visited the Western Naval Command and the Mazagon Dockyard in Mumbai to explore the possibility for defence industrial cooperation.Jaishankar and Van Weel also discussed developments in Ukraine, South Asia, West Asia and other regional and global issues. Both sides also condemned all forms of terrorism and pointed to the need for stronger international cooperation to combat the menace.Van Weel described Russia’s war in Ukraine as an “existential security issue” for Europe. “Ukraine cannot lose this war [as] Russia would then have control over Ukrainian territory and pose a lasting security threat to the European continent,” he said.Pointing to the US-led negotiations to find a lasting solution to the conflict, he said, “I’ve asked my counterparts to use their contacts with Russia to convey to them the message to come to the negotiating table and hopefully we can find a resolution on this.”Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof is expected to visit India next February for the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The Dutch side reiterated its invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit the Netherlands to strengthen bilateral relations.