A high-powered delegation from Netherlands to visit Vibrant Gujarat 2024

Ahmedabad :  The Netherlands announced its participation at the 10th Edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2024, which is set to take place in the prosperous state of Gujarat, India from January 10-12. H. E. Mrs. Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Netherlands to India will head a trade delegation comprising 45 Dutch companies that represent a variety of industries, including agriculture and food processing, maritime & logistics, renewable energy, waste management, IT, semiconductors, and services. Being one of the world’s leading economic powerhouses, the Netherlands recognizes the significance of this global event as a key platform for fostering collaboration and exploring opportunities across various sectors.

The Netherlands, which for the 4th time in a row is participating as a Partner Country during the summit, will be organizing a Country Seminar, where the participating Dutch companies will be holding dialogues and showcasing their products and services. In addition to two Netherlands seminars titled: ‘New business areas and opportunities for local partnership’ and ‘Partnering for Value Creation through Innovation & Sustainability’, other sectoral seminars in areas of Port-led City Development, semiconductors, Space, renewable energy, and green hydrogen will see the Dutch presence during the summit.

Several MoU’s will be signed by Dutch companies with multiple Ministries and the private sector, as part of the summit.

“Over last decade, trade relations between the Netherlands and India have significantly improved. In India, at least 300 Dutch businesses have their presence, and some 250 Indian companies have their offices in the Netherlands. The trade delegation present today at the summit are excited to connect with their Indian counterparts, explore possible alliances, and work together to advance the economies of both countries. With this event, we aim to further pave way for unprecedented opportunities in the future by exploring collaborations in a variety of innovative solutions and sustainable practices,” said Ambassador Marisa Gerards.

The Netherlands is the fifth largest foreign investor in India during FY 2022-2023 with FDI equity inflows of USD 2.498 billion (INR 19,855 crores). The key areas of cooperation between India and the Netherlands are agriculture, health, maritime, science and technology, climate & energy, and innovation. Both countries are working on strategic partnership in the water sector as Netherlands is a pioneer in water management besides science and R&D.  Recognizing the immense potential in the mentioned sectors, Dutch companies are ready to showcase their cutting-edge solutions and explore collaborations with their Indian counterparts at VGGS 2024. By meeting and exchanging ideas with various stakeholders, Dutch businesses aim to foster the development of innovative and sustainable solutions that are beneficial to both nations.

“Gujarat, a prominent state that makes a major economic contribution to India, has seen a significant increase in the presence of Dutch business here over the years. Some prominent names include Vopak  in Kandla, APMT  in Pipavav, Shell  in Hazira, DSM’s presence across two locations in Gujarat, Boskalis, which is set to in Bhavnagar, and Ahmedabad, which is is home to the offices of Nedspice, Rollepaal, Gateway Group, Brightness Group, DevRepublic, Trolleborg and APMT,” said the Chief Representative for India of the Netherlands Business Support Office, Mr. Amlan Bora.

“The Netherlands Business Support Office, trade offices of the Dutch Government, for the first time is an organizing partner of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. This year our focus during this summit will be around building local partnerships for solving global problems. Renewable energy is our top priority in India from both investment and securing supply. Companies participating this time in the summit include global names like APM Terminals represented by their global CEO, Mr Keith Svendsen, DSM-Firmenich, the global leader in fragrances, flavors, micro-nutrients and more, represented by their President, Mr Rahul Jalan. Other very prominent Dutch brands like Rabobank, NXP Semiconductors, Kiremko, SHV Energy, Broekman Logistics, Port of Rotterdam, among others are also part of the delegation this time. A total investment proposal of broadly EUR3,4 billion euros is what the companies are targeting to deliver in India in various sectors. This includes investments in Ports, flight simulators for the expanding airlines industry, manufacturing locations for ingredients processing, among others,” Mr Bora further added.

As both nations share a commitment to sustainable development and innovation, the Netherlands looks forward to leveraging the Vibrant Gujarat Summit as a platform to solidify existing partnerships and cultivate new avenues for collaboration.