New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday expressed concerns over cross-border terrorism and urged his Dutch counterpart, Ruben Berkelmans, to prevent companies in the Netherlands from supplying weapons, platforms, or technology to Pakistan, sources said.
The two leaders held discussions on a wide range of topics, including Indo-Pacific security and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). Singh emphasized that India has suffered for decades due to terrorism originating from Pakistan and warned that supplying military technology to Islamabad could undermine regional peace and stability.
During their meeting, Singh highlighted opportunities for collaboration in shipbuilding, defence equipment, and the space sector, leveraging the technological strengths of both nations. Following the discussions, he shared on X:
“Delighted to meet the young and dynamic Defence Minister of the Netherlands, Mr. Ruben Berkelmans, in New Delhi. We reviewed the full range of India-Netherlands defence cooperation. We look forward to further deepen and elevate our defence partnership. The areas of our discussion included defence, cyber security, Indo-Pacific, and emerging technologies like AI.”
The Indian Defence Ministry stated that the two sides explored ways to enhance cooperation in defence, security, and technology-sharing, with a focus on AI and related innovations. They also discussed strengthening ties between defence research institutions in both countries.
Singh’s call for stricter controls on Dutch defence exports to Pakistan reflects India’s broader strategy of preventing the proliferation of military technology to its western neighbor, while fostering stronger security ties with global partners.
