President Kovind accorded ceremonial welcome by King, Queen of Netherlands

Amsterdam, Apr 5: President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Savita Kovind were accorded a ceremonial welcome by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands on Tuesday as they began their official engagements in the European country.

President Kovind arrived in Amsterdam on Monday on the final leg of his two-nation visit – the first presidential trip to the Netherlands after 34 years since the visit of President R Venkataraman in 1988 – during which he will hold discussions with the top leadership of the country.

   

“President Ram Nath Kovind and First Lady Mrs Savita Kovind were accorded a ceremonial welcome by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands,” his office tweeted on Tuesday.

President Kovind also laid a wreath at Dam Square, Amsterdam.

During his visit to the Netherlands from April 4 to 7 at the invitation of King Alexander and Queen Maxima, President Kovind will hold discussions with them and Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

His visit assumes significance as India and the Netherlands are celebrating 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2022.

The president’s visit is a follow-up to the state visit of the King and Queen to India in 2019. His visit offers the opportunity to further broaden and deepen the cooperation between the two countries, including in the field of water and agriculture and innovation cooperation in these fields, said a statement from the Royal House of the Netherlands.

In view of the current security situation in Europe, the government considers it important that both countries have a broad dialogue at the highest level about the challenges facing the world, it added.

After his arrival on Monday, President Kovind visited Keukenhof, one of the world’s largest flower gardens, where he was received by Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra.

“President Kovind was received at Keukenhof by the Dutch Foreign Minister & Deputy PM @WBHoekstra. President Kovind spoke about the multifaceted partnership between the two countries & vibrant people-to-people connect,” President Kovind’s Twitter account posted.

“President Ram Nath Kovind and the First Lady Smt Savita Kovind visited Keukenhof in Amsterdam. The President named a new breed of yellow tulips ‘Maitri’~ symbolic of the special & enduring friendship between India and the Netherlands,” another tweet read.

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