Trade ties: India, Netherlands set up joint trade and investment committee; institutional framework takes shape

India and the Netherlands have established a Joint Trade and Investment Committee (JTIC) to deepen bilateral economic engagement and address barriers to trade and investment, the commerce and industry ministry said on Friday, PTI reported.An MoU to this effect has been signed between the two countries, creating a formal institutional mechanism to review trade relations, promote two-way investments and explore cooperation in sectors of mutual interest.According to the ministry, the JTIC will meet annually, with meetings held alternately in India and the Netherlands, to ensure sustained engagement and continuity in discussions.The committee will be co-chaired by the Additional Secretary in India’s Department of Commerce and the Director General (Foreign Economic Relations) in the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It will include delegations from both sides comprising government officials and other members as designated.The primary objective of the JTIC is to facilitate closer economic cooperation by identifying and addressing trade and investment barriers, while also supporting greater investment flows between the two countries.The ministry said the platform is expected to strengthen institutional coordination and provide a structured forum for advancing bilateral economic priorities.