His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima have been invited for a state visit to India by President Ram Nath Kovind. The visit will take place from 14 October until 18 October. The state visit will focus on the good relations between India and The Netherlands. Special attention will be paid to water technology, maritime developments, health, sustainable agriculture, social initiatives and cultural heritage. Here’s what to expect from the fourth and fifth day:
The fourth day will begin with a meeting with the governor of Maharashtra in Mumbai. Afterwards, the visit will continue in the state of Kerala. The King and Queen will visit the Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, in the city of Kochi. Several heritage specialists will highlight the relationship between Kerala and the Netherlands in the past, present and the future. The royal couple will tour the museum and will attend the signing of a cooperation agreement the Dutch National Archives and the Kerala Archives.
After the visit to the Mattancherry Palace, they will continue on to the company Nedspice, which focuses on durable agriculture. The King and Queen will attend a roundtable conversation between Dutch and Indian companies, knowledge institutions and the government about reached the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The day will end with a dinner with representatives of the Kerala government.
On the fifth and final day of the state visit, the King and Queen will cruise the so-called “backwaters” around Alleppey. This low-lying area was hit by floods in 2018, and during the cruise, the royal couple will learn about measures that have been taken to prevent future flooding and how Dutch knowledge can help.
