Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Indian community in the Netherlands on Saturday, May 18, 2024, amid chants of “Modi-Modi” [1, 2].
The visit serves as a key component of India's effort to deepen trade, technology, and strategic partnerships across Europe. By engaging with the diaspora, the administration seeks to leverage the Indian community to bolster people-to-people connections, and enhance India's global stature [2, 5].
Modi arrived in Amsterdam to begin a six-day tour [2] that spanned from May 15 to May 20, 2024 [1]. While some reports place the community interaction in Amsterdam [1], others indicate the events took place in The Hague [3].
The diplomatic mission involved a multi-nation itinerary. Sources differ on the exact scale of the trip, with reports listing it as either a four-nation [2] or five-nation [1] European tour.
Throughout the visit, the prime minister focused on bilateral ties and strategic cooperation. The interaction with the diaspora highlighted the support for India's current trajectory on the world stage, with community members hailing the nation's growing international influence [3].
This visit to the Netherlands acted as the starting point for a broader series of engagements designed to align Indian interests with European economic, and security frameworks [2, 5].
“Crowds chanted “Modi-Modi” as he arrived.”
The emphasis on diaspora engagement during this European tour suggests that India is utilizing its global population as a soft-power tool to facilitate trade and diplomatic agreements. By centering the visit around both official state business and community interaction, the administration aims to create a supportive cultural environment that complements its strategic goals in technology and commerce within the European Union.
