"Fascinating": Dutch PM in awe of UPI, pays for "chai" digitally [details]

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte was one of the G20 guests who arrived in India last week. Extending his stay, he visited Bengaluru to participate in the CEO Round Table Meeting organised at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, where he said that the Netherlands aims to provide Dutch companies operating in Karnataka with an opportunity to engage in discussions on strategic matters of mutual interest, focusing on economic growth and investment prospects.

Among other things, the highlight of Dutch PM's Bengaluru visit was his casual stroll in the heart of the city, Church Street. Breaking his security cordon, Rutte took a stroll from Brigade Road to Church Street and even enjoyed masala chai, a popular beverage in the southern part of the country. As he posed for selfies, interacted with people and shared his experience with the press, he lauded India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) for being seamless and easy to use.

"UPI looks very simple and easy. It was fascinating to go through experience once," PM Rutte said.

Rutte meets DKS, other state ministers

During his visit to Bengaluru for the CEO Round Table Meeting, PM Rutte met Dy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Large and Medium Industries Minister M.B. Patil and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge, among others. Mark Rutte stated that Karnataka is home to 9 per cent of Dutch investments in India with a presence of over 25 Dutch companies. Karnataka is also home to Global house Centres of Shell and Philips, he added.

Speaking about the meeting, D.K. Shivakumar said, "The Netherlands delegation has discussed several matters. It has also sought for implementation of a transparent and fair excise policy. A meeting would be soon held to sort out the issues about facilitating the Dutch investments in the state."

Meanwhile, M.B. Patil said that the government of Karnataka looks forward to increased investments from the Netherlands across various industries like food processing, biotech, pharma, Innovation and R&D among others. There is also enough scope for investments in the tourism sector, he opined.

PM Rutte also visited the NXP Office in India, featuring the inauguration of a new patent wall at NXP's Semiconductors campus in Manyata Tech Park, Bengaluru, showcasing NXP's deep commitment to innovation and technological advancement.

The inauguration ceremony highlighted NXP's advanced products and solutions across automotive, industrial, IoT, consumer, and communication infrastructure. NXP demonstrated its history of innovation with transformative technologies, including smart vehicle connectivity (V2X, Wi-Fi, 5G, GPS, UWB, Ethernet, CAN) and radar innovations, to name a few. They also demonstrated their pivotal role in enabling innovation through secure connections for applications like e-passports, NFC-based payment gateways, EMV solutions, and 5G Fixed Wireless Access. This demonstration encapsulated NXP's dedication to shaping a connected, secure, and innovative future.