What India Hopes to Gain From Modi’s High-Stakes Europe Trip | DW News

Why It Matters

The tour bolsters India’s energy resilience and opens new financing channels, positioning New Delhi as a more autonomous player in a volatile geopolitical landscape.

Key Takeaways

• Modi seeks European trade, tech, and energy partnerships amid Middle‑East turmoil.
• UAE pledges strategic petroleum reserve contribution to bolster India's energy security.
• Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and green tech attract Indian investment interest.
• India feels sidelined in US‑Iran‑China negotiations over Hormuz Strait.
• Italy’s political alignment offers India a trusted partner in Euro‑Asia initiatives.

Summary

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands as the first stop of a high‑stakes European tour aimed at deepening trade, technology and energy ties while the Middle‑East war threatens supply chains.

The visit secured a pledge from the United Arab Emirates to contribute to India’s strategic petroleum reserve, a move intended to offset rising fuel costs at home. In the Nordics, Modi courted Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund and green‑technology expertise, and highlighted climate cooperation as part of a broader push for reliable energy sources.

Political analyst Deeper Oli warned that India feels “sidelined” in the US‑Iran‑China negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and lacks a concrete plan to reopen the waterway. He also noted Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni as a trusted ally, recalling the stalled India‑Middle‑East‑European economic corridor.

By courting both traditional partners and new Nordic allies, India hopes to diversify financing, secure critical energy inputs and reinforce its diplomatic clout as global power dynamics shift, signaling a proactive response to geopolitical uncertainty.

Original Description

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a tour through Europe to boost trade ties and secure global supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the Netherlands at the start of the European leg of his five-nation tour. After the Netherlands, Modi will visit Sweden, Norway and Italy

His first stop in the Netherlands — including talks with the Dutch king and queen — comes against the backdrop of rising tensions linked to the Iran war. A key concern: the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global energy shipments. Modi has called for it to remain ‘free, open and safe’ — but can India actually help make that happen? We asked political scientist Deepa Ollapally what’s at stake.

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