FICCI seeks Dutch manufacturing investment after $58.1 bn FDI

FICCI sought more Dutch capital for Indian manufacturing and technology during Piyush Goyal’s two-day Netherlands visit with about 100 businesses, according to an Economic Times/PTI report published Oct. 24.

The report said the Netherlands is India’s fourth-largest source of cumulative foreign direct investment, or long-term cross-border company capital, and the top EU source, with $58.1 billion from April 2000 to June 2026. That stock is about 2.5 times the $23.3 billion bilateral merchandise trade recorded in 2025-26, according to Atlas360 calculations.

FICCI Secretary General Anant Swarup said the trip could move talks from broad intent to individual projects by putting companies and public agencies around questions of sites, technology, infrastructure, suppliers and permits. He identified manufacturing tie-ups, technology cooperation, supply-chain integration and project follow-up as the chamber’s main priorities.

FICCI wants a pipeline of joint ventures and capacity-expansion proposals in engineering, equipment, food processing and other technology-heavy industries, according to the report. It also called for links among companies, research institutions and startups to develop products, strengthen Indian engineering capabilities and deploy technologies commercially.

“The delegation's planned engagement at the Port of Rotterdam also provides an opportunity to explore cooperation in logistics and supply-chain connectivity. Our expectation would be to translate such engagement into commercially viable projects involving ports, warehousing, cold chains and more efficient movement of goods,” Swarup said.

Project pipeline

Supplier development is central to the pitch because Swarup tied it to Indian micro, small and medium-size enterprises meeting Dutch company requirements on quality, traceability and sustainability. He said investment proposals should have designated counterparts, milestones and a mechanism for resolving implementation problems.

The broader trade setting is the proposed India-EU free trade agreement, which the report said India and the European Union are expected to sign by the end of 2026. The Netherlands is a member of the 27-country EU and India’s largest trade and investment partner within the bloc.

Swarup said the India-EU agreement could strengthen the case for companies to manufacture, source and innovate across both markets. “For Dutch manufacturers, this could support investment in Indian production facilities serving both domestic and export markets,” he said.

The report did not cite any announced Dutch investment commitments or named projects from Goyal’s visit. Swarup said investor confidence would depend on greater policy predictability, simpler regulatory processes, faster approvals, stronger industrial infrastructure, reliable logistics, skilled labour and a domestic supplier base.

Those conditions are especially relevant for Dutch companies considering Indian factories, technology partnerships or a larger role for India in global value chains, Swarup said. The reported agenda also includes possible cooperation in ports, warehousing, cold chains and goods movement.

Trade pact deadline

Companies and investors can check whether India and the European Union sign the free trade agreement by the end of 2026, the window cited in the report. The agreement is the dated catalyst FICCI linked to a stronger commercial case for Dutch manufacturers producing, sourcing and innovating across India and Europe.

A second observable is whether FICCI, Indian authorities or Dutch counterparts identify named investment proposals with designated counterparts and milestones after Goyal’s visit. The report tied that structure to turning discussions into projects, but did not give a date for such announcements.

Source: news report, The Economic Times/PTI, Oct. 24, 2026