India news: PM Modi begins Europe tour with Netherlands

What you need to know

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the Netherlands at the start of the European leg of his five-nation tour
• Police use tear gas and water cannons during clashes with marching farmers near Chandigarh

Here's a roundup of the biggest news stories from India on Saturday, May 16: 

PM Modi set to talk semiconductors, free trade during Netherlands trip

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in the Netherlands for a two-day visit to deepen bilateral ties in trade, investment, defense, and semiconductors.

"This visit to the Netherlands is taking place at a time when the free trade agreement between India and the EU has given a significant boost to trade and investment relations," Modi said on X, posting pictures of him being welcomed in Amsterdam on Friday evening. 

"It offers the opportunity to strengthen ties in areas such as semiconductors, water, clean energy, and more," he said.

India has ramped up efforts to alter its global position as a buyer of technology to producing critical tech in collaboration with Western partners. The approach is part of New Delhi's decision to diversifybeyond China-centric supply chains after the disruptions seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent global conflicts. 

India first launched domestic chipmaking in 2021 under the "Make in India" initiative and has since expanded on the strategy by approving several projects.

Modi has previously spoken about his ambitions of "making India a leader in the global semiconductor value chain."

Apart from chips, the Netherlands is also India's largest export destination in Europe.

Modi's Europe tour comes as New Delhi pushes to finalize a free trade agreement with the European Union.

EU-India trade agreement: consequences for the economy

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In response to a reporter's question about the pending FTA agreement, a foreign ministry spokesperson said, "That is a priority. We are working with the European Union to have it agreed to at the earliest. So we will be, please keep tuned in for an immediate outcome coming up.

Modi's two days in the Netherlands

The Indian premier was greeted by the Indian diaspora in Amsterdam, where he was welcomed with several traditional dance forms, including one from Modi's home state - Garba. 

Over the two days, Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, meet King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, and meet the business leaders of the Netherlands.

Welcome to our coverage

Good morning and welcome to DW's India news blog. 

This is Mahima Kapoor from the New Delhi bureau, and I will be your guide through the day’s biggest headlines from India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Netherlands, beginning the European leg of his five-nation tour. India has ramped up its diplomatic efforts and in the last month, in an effort to limit the fallout from the Iran war.

Modi's tour of Europe, which comes after a visit to the UAE on Friday, also gives Modi a chance to finalize bilateral trade and strategic agreements with European nations amid a larger EU trade agreement, as India looks to move away from its dependence on China.

At home, Indian farmers once again faced tear gas and water cannons as some of them marched towards the residence of the governor of the Northern state of Punjab. Farmers from the northern state of Punjab and Haryana have long been unhappy about official minimum support prices and what they call, Modi's 'anti-farmer' character. 

Meanwhile, India's weather agency has said that monsoons, aka the rainy season, which is critical for India's agricultural sector, will arrive earlier than expected, hitting the southern state of Kerala as soon as May 26.

Stick with us as we break everything down for you.