New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Netherlands Ambassador to India Marisa Gerards met Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani (PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM) in New Delhi on Wednesday and mentioned strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, collaboration between defence industries and analysis centres, and the maritime scenario in West Asia, the Netherlands Embassy stated.Â
In a publish on X, the Netherlands Embassy for India, Nepal and Bhutan stated the assembly was attended by Defence Attache Captain (Navy) Geordie Klein and Political Counsellor Arjen Nauta.
“Discussions focused on the growing IN-NL bilateral relationship, underpinned by the Strategic Partnership and the Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation, as well as the EU-India Security and Defence Partnership announced earlier this year. Both sides highlighted opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Dutch and Indian defence industries and research centres, particularly in specialised niche areas,” the embassy stated.
During the assembly, Gerards additionally highlighted upcoming defence exhibitions, together with the Netherlands Exhibition on Defence and Security in Rotterdam on November 18-19, 2026, and Aero India in Bengaluru from February 8-12, 2027.
The embassy stated the exhibitions would offer platforms for figuring out new enterprise alternatives and fostering nearer ties between the defence industries of the 2 international locations.
The discussions additionally coated the maritime scenario in West Asia, with Gerards briefing General Subramani on the prepositioning of the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen within the area.
“Finally, they exchanged views on the maritime situation in West Asia. Ambassador Gerards briefed General Subramani on the prepositioning of the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen in the region. The Netherlands and India continue to explore opportunities to deepen defence cooperation and advance their strategic partnership,” the embassy stated.
General Subramani was appointed Chief of Defence Staff on May 31, 2026. Before assuming the place, he served as Military Adviser on the National Security Council Secretariat.
Earlier, on September 24, Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil and Netherlands Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Jaap Slootmaker co-chaired a bilateral assembly on the Strategic Partnership on Water in New Delhi.
The assembly reviewed cooperation within the water sector, with a selected concentrate on technical collaboration for Gujarat’s Kalpasar Project. Two tripartite memoranda of understanding had been signed involving the Central Water Commission, the Gujarat authorities’s Kalpasar Department, and Dutch data establishments Deltares and TU Delft to facilitate technical cooperation and data sharing for the mission. (ANI)