Dutch original equipment manufacturers to be encouraged to integrate Indian vendors into their supply chains

India and Netherlands are keen to encourage interaction between the defence industries, and in high-tech sectors of semi-conductors and clean energy, said the Ministry of Defence following a bilateral meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart from Netherlands Kajsa Ollongren today.

The semi-conductor push comes from the fact that the Dutch company ASML is a global leader in making cutting-edge machines used in making semi-conductor chips. India is looking at having its own chip making process for the military, civilian, and space sectors.

The Ministry of Defence said the ministers discussed the possibilities for expanding their bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in maritime and industrial domains.

“They noted the increased interaction between the two Navies and expressed keenness to work together to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean region,” the ministry said.

Rajnath Singh suggested that the Dutch original equipment manufacturers could be encouraged to integrate Indian vendors into their supply chains. India has developed a vibrant innovation and industrial ecosystem given the Indian and Dutch complementarities in skills, technology, and scale.

Kajsa Ollongren later attended the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi where she spoke on the use of unconventional technology in future wars and how protecting under communication cables and gas pipelines had been achieved in Europe.

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 23rd Feb , 2024