External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar began his three-nation Europe visit with wide-ranging discussions in The Hague with Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, focusing on bilateral ties, counter-terrorism cooperation, and India’s strategic engagement with the European Union.
In his first overseas trip since the four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan, Jaishankar thanked the Netherlands for its strong condemnation of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, mostly civilians and tourists. He also expressed appreciation for Dutch support of India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism.
“Thank FM Caspar Veldkamp of the Netherlands for hosting me today in The Hague. Appreciate Netherlands’ strong condemnation of the Pahalgam attack and support for zero tolerance against terrorism,” Jaishankar posted on X.
The two ministers discussed expanding bilateral cooperation and also exchanged views on multipolarity, strategic autonomy, and pressing global security challenges.
Later, Jaishankar met Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans, where both sides shared their respective national security concerns and explored opportunities for closer defence collaboration.
“Also spoke about the benefits of forging a bilateral defence partnership,” Jaishankar said, indicating a possible deepening of defence ties with one of India’s key EU partners.
In a morning interaction with Dutch strategic experts, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of stronger India-Netherlands/EU engagement amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.
The Indian Embassy in The Hague noted that Jaishankar’s visit is expected to boost India-Netherlands ties and reinforce diplomatic momentum in the wake of Operation Sindoor — India’s precision strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, in retaliation to the Pahalgam attack.
Jaishankar is expected to brief his counterparts in Denmark and Germany on India’s security imperatives and response to Pakistan’s retaliatory attacks between May 8–10, which saw Indian forces targeting multiple Pakistani military installations in countermeasures.
His ongoing visit underlines India’s commitment to consolidating strategic partnerships in Europe amid a tense South Asian security climate and growing international focus on cross-border terrorism.
