Rajnath, Dutch foreign minister meet in Delhi, hold defence talks

The Defence Ministry said the discussions highlighted the shared commitment of India and the Netherlands to a free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region.

Written by Amrita Nayak Dutta

New Delhi | December 19, 2025 04:55 AM IST

2 min read

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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with Netherlands Foreign Minister David Van Weel during a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Foreign Minister of the Netherlands David Van Weel in the Capital Thursday and discussed a range of bilateral security and defence issues, including priority areas for co-development and co-production of defence equipment.

A Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation was also exchanged between Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Dutch Ambassador to India Marisa Gerards in the presence of the two ministers. In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to enhance military-to-military cooperation, with focus on developing defence cooperation as a key pillar of the strategic partnership. They reaffirmed the strong and growing defence partnership between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The Defence Ministry said the discussions highlighted the shared commitment of India and the Netherlands to a free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region. They emphasised the need for a closer defence partnership and connecting the defence industries from both nations, especially in the field of niche technology.

The statement noted that both countries intend to explore the possibilities of defence cooperation in identified areas for mutual benefit by developing a defence industrial roadmap for technology collaboration, co-production and co-development of platforms and equipment. Singh said people-to- people ties between the two countries are very strong with a large Indian diaspora in the Netherlands serving as a living bridge and strengthening the bonds of friendship.

In May this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid an official visit to the Netherlands, during which both sides reviewed bilateral cooperation and regional and global matters of mutual interest, including progress in diverse sectors such as trade and economy, science and technology, water, agriculture and health, education, culture and people-to-people ties.

They discussed ways to increase collaboration in new and emerging sectors of digital technology, semiconductors, AI and green hydrogen. Both sides also discussed opportunities to take forward defence and security cooperation to the next level and had agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the defence sector.

Amrita Nayak Dutta

Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More

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