Tuesday, 5 April, marked the official beginning of the Indian State Visit to the Netherlands, during which President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind visited the northern European country upon the invitation of King Willem-Alexander.
Like every state visit, the trip began with the official welcome ceremony, where the President and the King inspected the Honour Guard in Dam Square in Amsterdam.
Following the guard inspection, the two heads of state and their wives made their way inside the Royal Palace, where the two delegations took part in a reception.
Following the lunch, the President was joined by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to lay a wreath at the National Monument on Dam Square to commemorate the many people who died during combat.
As it is traditional, the first day was concluded with a State Banquet, before which the royal and the presidential couples posed for a photo opportunity in the Small Reception Room.
During the banquet, both heads of state offered speeches. The King’s started with a minute of silence for all the victims of the Ukrainian conflict.
His Majesty then continued by highlighting the importance of international relationships, especially during moments of crisis, and retraced the history of the relations between India and the Netherlands.
The visit will be carried out through Wednesday, 6 April and is carried out in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Indian-Dutch diplomatic relationships.
The President and First Lady’s trip began on Monday with a christening ceremony for a new tulip, the Maitri, in the presence of the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The name means “friendship” in Hindi, and the specimen comes from the flower bulb company Jan de Wit & Zonen. The Netherlands are famous worldwide for its tulips, and annual festivals are abundant all around the country.
This visit comes as India is facing a lot of international scrutiny because of its position towards Russia in the Ukrainian conflict, as well as the political crisis currently unfolding in neighbouring Pakistan.
