India a key player in Indo-Pacific, says Netherlands envoy Marten van den Berg

Netherlands Prime minister Mark Rutte and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meet on Friday. One of the key outcomes of the meet was both countries announcing a "strategic partnership on water." The Netherlands is a world leader in water management and a collaboration with New Delhi aims to increase research and innovation in that sector.

Netherlands Ambassador Marten van den Berg said that India is a "key player in the Indo-Pacific", and sees New Delhi "as a key partner in addressing all the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region". Speaking to WION, Marten van den Berg also lauded India's role amid the COVID pandemic. He said, "Happy the way India is presenting itself as a very important vaccine manufacturing country taking big responsibility" and it has a "very positive impact on the world in addressing the covid pandemic crisis."

On outcomes of the virtual summit, Marten van den Berg said, "Netherlands and India have a very long-term relationship and both Prime Ministers know each other very well. So it was a very open and productive meeting. The outcome was a strategic partnership on the water between Netherlands and India. We are active already in India on the topic of water, in terms of water management, dealing with floods, also water scarcity."

On India-Netherlands engagement, he said, "We will have more meetings at a political level. We have upgraded collaboration on the water. We have collaboration with the department of science, department of biotechnology with India. We are both partners in the international solar alliance. India is ambitious on renewables. A lot of opportunities on offshore wind, solar energy, a grid system."

On climate crisis, Berg said, "It is a very important part because the climate challenge is a real global crisis and maybe one of the biggest crisis we face at the moment, maybe after covid. What we have to do is fasttrack sustainable development in Netherlands and India. We are partnering in developing clean technologies, working on decarbonization."

On asking about Netherlands' view on Indo Pacific, he said, "Indo Pacific region is a very important region. If you look at economic figures, it is of increasing importance in the world. So, on one hand, you see a lot of economic opportunities, you see some challenges, some concerns, so we are very much in favour of an open inclusive rules-based society."

"We see India as a key player in the Indo Pacific, as a key partner in addressing all the challenges in the Indo Pacific region."

On dealing with pandemic, vaccines, he said, "Covid is a huge concern to all of us. Serum Institute is very well known and has a plant in the Netherlands. So, there is close collaboration with it and we are much happy the way India is presenting itself as a very important vaccine manufacturing country taking big responsibility and have a very positive impact on the world in addressing the covid pandemic crisis."

"It's a privilege to be ambassador to India," Marten van den Berg concluded.