India is sending the message of inclusiveness, says Edith Nordmann of Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce & Trade

WEF 2024: Edith Nordmann, Chairman at The Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce & Trade, on Thursday said that India is sending the message of inclusiveness, unlike other nations, which gives it an edge over others. Nordmann, who was in Delhi for the recent G20 summit held in September 2023, hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, India’s push for ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.

"I had gone to the G20 Summit in New Delhi, where I got to see more of India. India's inclusiveness message especially resonated with me as it doesn't believe in 'I' but 'us'. The 'I' in India is the 'I' of inclusiveness. India has been sending the message of inclusiveness to the rest of the world and is setting an example that together we can achieve more. The theme that was chosen for G20, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, was really bold. That topic shows why India right now is at the top of the game," said Nordmann in an interaction with Asha Jadeja Motwani, Investor, Philanthropist and Founder, Motwani Jadeja Foundation.

The session at WEF Davos was powered by the Motwani Jadeja Foundation with conglomerate partner Darwin.

Talking about India's leadership in certain sectors, Nordmann said: "India is taking a lead in sectors like AI, IT. But I think we need more cooperation in fields like health for vaccines and others... India is going to be at the top of the game for at least 20 years if we calculate. I feel the education sector should also be included in the inclusiveness."

On the India-Europe trade corridor, Nordmann noted besides the Netherlands, India has close ties with Germany, Switzerland and France. "Talking about a pan-European development, many governments are working on free trade agreements and that would be amazing and a huge step forward."

The Netherlands is the fourth-largest trading partner of India in Europe (2021-22) and the fourth-largest investor in India. Bilateral trade reached a record high of $17 billion in 2021-22. This includes exports valued at $12 billion and imports valued at approximately $5 billion. The total foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from the Netherlands to India from April 2000 to June 2022 amounted to $43 billion.

There are over 300 Dutch companies present in India, including Philips, Signify, Akzo Nobel, DSM, Heineken, KLM, and others. Indian companies are also investing in the Netherlands in a big way. More than 300 Indian companies, including all major IT companies such as TCS, HCL, Wipro, Infosys, and Tech Mahindra, have a presence in the Netherlands.