Citing Terror Concerns, Rajnath Singh Tells Netherlands Counterpart To Stop Arms Supplies To Pakistan

Last Updated:March 18, 2025, 18:18 IST

A source from the Defence Ministry told News18 that Singh’s message, delivered during Berkelmans' official visit to New Delhi, was "loud and clear"

News18

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday urged his Dutch counterpart, Ruben Berkelmans, to stop supplying military technology or equipment to Pakistan, citing Islamabad’s involvement in “sponsoring terrorism" as the key reason for the request.

A source from the Defence Ministry told News18 that Singh’s message, delivered during Berkelmans’ official visit to New Delhi, was “loud and clear."

Singh made the request during a discussion with Berkelmans on enhancing bilateral cooperation between India and the Netherlands in areas such as defence, security, information exchanges, the Indo-Pacific, and emerging technologies.

According to a report by ThePrint, Singh also raised concerns about the Netherlands’ previous supply of two former Tripartite-class minehunters—HNLMS Middelburg (M858) and HNLMS Haarlem (M853)—to Pakistan.

The report further stated that Singh’s appeal was also driven by India’s awareness of Dutch companies in discussions with Pakistan regarding potential collaboration, especially in the naval sector, which sources in the security establishment have called a “matter of concern."

Earlier today, a press release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) noted that Singh and Berkelmans discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including defence, security, information exchanges, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The two leaders also explored potential areas for deeper cooperation in sectors such as shipbuilding, equipment, and space. They discussed optimising the complementary skills, technology, and scale of both countries in these fields.

After their meeting, Singh shared his thoughts on social media X, stating, “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."

News world Citing Terror Concerns, Rajnath Singh Tells Netherlands Counterpart To Stop Arms Supplies To Pakistan