Diwali Celebrated in Eindhoven as PM Modi's Dutch State Visit Strengthens India Ties
The Hindu community in Eindhoven marked the Diwali and Annakut season through events organized by the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the Netherlands brought a diplomatic high note for Indo-Dutch relations, including a meeting with climate and energy minister Rob Jetten.
🪔 BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Celebrates Diwali and Annakut in Eindhoven
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, one of the world's largest and most active Hindu organisations with a global network of mandirs, volunteer programmes, and humanitarian services, organised Diwali and Hindu New Year Annakut celebrations in Eindhoven, Netherlands. BAPS maintains an established presence across the UK and Europe, with centres serving Hindu communities in cities throughout the continent under its UK and Europe regional network. Diwali marks the Hindu New Year on the Vikram Samvat calendar and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, observed through the lighting of diyas, prayers, and devotional gatherings. The Annakut ceremony is a central Swaminarayan tradition in which devotees prepare and offer a large variety of food dishes to the deity as an expression of gratitude — the name literally means 'mountain of food.' For the Gujarati-origin Hindu diaspora in Eindhoven and the wider Netherlands, events organised by a globally trusted institution like BAPS provide a structured connection to faith and cultural practice rooted in the Indian subcontinent. The Netherlands hosts a significant Hindu population drawn both from Surinamese-Indian communities, whose ancestors came to Suriname as indentured labourers from India in the nineteenth century, and from more recent direct migration from South Asia. Diwali celebrations in Eindhoven through BAPS reflect the growing depth of organised Hindu religious life in continental Europe. [1]
🗳️ PM Modi Meets Dutch Minister Jetten on European State Visit
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meetings with Dutch officials during a state visit to the Netherlands, including a session with Rob Jetten, the Dutch minister with responsibility for climate and energy policy. The visit, reported by DutchNews.nl, formed part of a broader European tour by Prime Minister Modi, which also included formal engagements with the Dutch royal family. Modi's meetings in the Netherlands covered strategic areas where the two countries have significant overlapping interests, including energy transition, renewable technology, water management, and trade. The Netherlands is an important partner for India in Europe, with the Port of Rotterdam serving as a major gateway for Indian exports and Dutch firms being active investors in India's manufacturing and agricultural sectors. For the South Asian diaspora living in and around the Netherlands, including in cities such as Eindhoven, The Hague, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam, a state visit by the Indian prime minister carries both symbolic and practical significance. It reinforces diplomatic ties that affect visa pathways, bilateral investment, and cultural exchange programmes that directly benefit diaspora communities. The Surinamese-Indian community and more recent South Asian professionals in the Netherlands watched the visit closely. Modi's engagement with the Netherlands as part of his European agenda reflects India's broader strategy of deepening ties with key European partners at a time of evolving global trade dynamics. [2]
Sources: [1] BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha · [2] DutchNews.nl