In first phone call, Modi and Dutch PM Jetten push for early peace in West Asia

“With everything going on in the world at the moment, now is the time to strengthen our cooperation,” Dutch PM Rob Jetten said on his conversation with PM Modi

Published on: Mar 30, 2026, 22:19:16 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar, NEW DELHI

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emphasised the need for early restoration of peace in West Asia during a phone conversation with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, which also focused on strengthening India-Netherlands ties.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten speaks during a statement prior to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Leaders' Summit in Helsinki, Finland Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva via AP) (AP)

This was the first conversation between Modi and Jetten, who became the PM last month. India and the Netherlands have strengthened cooperation in areas such as water, health, clean energy, defence and security in recent years.

Modi said on social media that he and Jetten discussed the situation in West Asia and “emphasised the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region”.

He said they also discussed ways to further strengthen India-Netherlands ties. “Highlighted the potential of our partnership in areas such as semiconductors, mega water projects, green hydrogen and talent mobility,” he said.

India has pushed for dialogue and diplomacy to end the US-Israel war against Iran. It has also called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to ensure unimpeded supply of energy and other commodities.

Jetten said on social media that India-Netherlands relations are growing stronger and the two sides are developing a strategic partnership that includes defence, water management, innovation and trade. He also noted that the European Union (EU) and India have concluded a major trade agreement.

“With everything going on in the world at the moment, now is the time to strengthen our cooperation,” Jetten said.

Jetten said he looked forward to welcoming Modi to the Netherlands “soon so we can make further progress on these issues”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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