PM Modi Opens European Tour in The Hague, Meets Dutch Royals and Addresses Indian Diaspora
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a European diplomatic tour from the Netherlands in May 2026, beginning with a high-profile meeting with the Dutch royal family in The Hague. Modi also addressed a dedicated community programme for the Indian diaspora, reinforcing the bonds between India and Indians living in the Netherlands. The dual engagement—royal meeting and diaspora address—marked a significant moment for the Indian community in The Hague and highlighted the depth of India-Netherlands ties.
🗳️ Modi Begins European Tour with Dutch Royal Meeting in The Hague
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose the Netherlands as the opening stop of a European diplomatic tour in May 2026, beginning with a meeting with the Dutch royal family—a ceremonial and diplomatic gesture underscoring the significance of India-Netherlands bilateral ties. The Netherlands, home to one of Europe's largest Indian-origin diaspora communities and a major commercial partner for India, was a fitting first stop for a leader seeking to deepen India's relationships across the continent. Meetings with royal families follow well-established protocol for state visits, in which constitutional monarchies offer formal welcome to visiting heads of government before proceeding to government-level bilateral talks. The Hague, as the seat of the Dutch government and home to major international institutions including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, gives the visit additional diplomatic resonance beyond the bilateral relationship. Modi's European tour signaled India's active pursuit of strategic partnerships at a time when the country's global economic and political profile has risen considerably. The choice to begin in the Netherlands—with its long history of trade, its substantial Indian-origin community, and its role in the multilateral international order—reflected a deliberate message about the value India places on its European engagements and on ties with partners who share interests in international law, trade, and stability. [1]
🤝 PM Modi Addresses Indian Community at The Hague Gathering
Prime Minister Modi's Netherlands visit included a dedicated address to the Indian community gathered in The Hague, continuing a practice he has maintained of meeting diaspora populations during overseas travel. These community programmes serve multiple purposes: they allow the Prime Minister to speak directly with Non-Resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin about India's direction, they offer diaspora members a rare opportunity for direct engagement with their homeland's head of government, and they reinforce the cultural and emotional bonds between the diaspora and India. The Indian community in the Netherlands is historically layered, encompassing the long-established Indo-Surinamese community—whose ancestors came as indentured laborers under Dutch colonial rule and whose descendants later migrated to the Netherlands—and more recent arrivals from India working in international organizations, technology, academia, and business. For both groups, a Prime Ministerial address carries enormous symbolic meaning, affirming that India recognizes and values the contributions of its overseas citizens and persons of Indian heritage. The Hague's identity as a center of international law and diplomacy gave the community event particular gravitas. Modi's appearance before the Dutch Indian diaspora reinforced the shared identity that sustains diaspora communities across generations, while underscoring the personal investment the Indian government makes in maintaining connections with Indians abroad and celebrating the role they play as bridges between India and their countries of residence. [2]
Sources: [1] Euronews.com · [2] PM India