Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described the Indian diaspora as a ‘living bridge’ of the India-Netherlands partnership during his visit to The Hague, where he held talks with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.
Both leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership and adopted a five-year roadmap for cooperation between 2026 and 2030.
The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration across key sectors, including trade, innovation, technology, investment and cultural exchange.
The Netherlands is home to the largest population of Indian-origin people in mainland Europe, including nearly 2,00,000 members of the Surinami-Hindustani community.
Highlighting the importance of the diaspora, PM Modi announced the liberalisation of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card eligibility for the Surinami-Hindustani community, extending it from the fourth generation to the sixth generation.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said the decision had been warmly welcomed by the Indian community in the Netherlands.
The Indian diaspora is a living bridge of the India-Netherlands partnership. Our decision to extend OCI Card eligibility for the Surinamese Hindustani community from the fourth generation to the sixth generation has been enthusiastically received by the diaspora in the… pic.twitter.com/A1mu1pYLFg
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2026
Before meeting Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten in The Hague, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a reception for the Indian community, where he received a warm welcome from the diaspora and friends of India.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi praised the Indian community for strengthening ties between India and the Netherlands and acknowledged the Surinami-Hindustani community’s efforts to preserve Indian culture across generations. He noted that Indian professionals and students in the Netherlands were contributing to stronger bilateral relations, particularly in technology and innovation.
PM Modi also highlighted growing cooperation in trade, clean energy and digital sectors, while reaffirming India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047 under Viksit Bharat. He encouraged the diaspora to contribute actively to India’s growth journey.
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