New Delhi, May 16, 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a significant multi-nation visit to Europe this week, aimed at strengthening India’s economic and strategic partnerships following the landmark India-EU Free Trade Agreement signed earlier this year.
The tour, which runs from May 15 to 20, 2026, comes at a time of global geopolitical flux, including ongoing tensions in West Asia that are impacting energy security and supply chains. It underscores India’s push to diversify alliances, attract investment and technology, and position itself as a key manufacturing and innovation hub.
Building on the India-EU FTA
This is Prime Minister Modi’s first major Europe-focused trip after the ambitious India-EU FTA, often described as the “mother of all deals.” The agreement is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade, investment, and cooperation in emerging sectors. During the visit, Modi is engaging with leaders to translate the FTA into concrete outcomes, particularly in trade, technology, clean energy, and defence.
Key Stops and Objectives
The visit began with engagements in the Netherlands (May 15–17), a crucial gateway to Europe and one of India’s top investors. With bilateral trade at around $28 billion and Dutch investments in India exceeding $55 billion, discussions are centred on a new Strategic Partnership. Key areas include semiconductors (leveraging Dutch expertise from companies like ASML), water management, clean energy, defence manufacturing, and advanced supply chains. Modi is also scheduled to meet Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and members of the Dutch royal family.
Next, the Prime Minister will travel to Sweden (May 17–18) for bilateral talks focusing on trade, technology collaboration, and the green economy.
In Norway (May 18–19), Modi will participate in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo, joining leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden. The summit aims to enhance regional cooperation in areas such as sustainable development, innovation, and energy transition.
The tour concludes in Italy (May 19–20), where Modi will hold discussions with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on further strengthening the strategic partnership, with emphasis on trade, security, and defence cooperation.
Broader Strategic Goals
Across all stops, the agenda highlights several shared priorities:
- Boosting two-way trade and investment flows
- Collaboration in frontier technologies including AI, semiconductors, and critical supply chains
- Clean energy and green hydrogen initiatives for a sustainable future
- Deeper defence industry partnerships
- Strengthening people-to-people ties through diaspora engagement and talent mobility
The visit reflects India’s pragmatic foreign policy of engaging reliable partners amid uncertainties in other parts of the world. It also includes symbolic elements, such as the possible repatriation of historical artefacts from the Netherlands, and community events with the Indian diaspora.
While small-scale protests by certain groups have been noted in some cities, they have not impacted the official programme.
This Europe tour is seen as a timely move to capitalise on the momentum of the India-EU FTA and build resilient, long-term partnerships that support India’s growth ambitions in a rapidly changing global landscape.
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