Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Dick Schoof on his appointment as the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands on Tuesday, and said he looks forward to closely working to further advance India-Netherlands ties.

In a post on social media platform X, PM Modi said, “Congratulations Dick Schoof on assuming office as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. Look forward to closely working together to advance India-Netherlands partnership including in the areas of renewable energy, water management, agriculture, mobility, new and emerging technology”.

Schoof, a 67-year-old independent and former head of the Dutch Secret Service, was sworn in earlier on Tuesday by King Willem-Alexander at the royal Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. He succeeds Mark Rutte, who is slated to become NATO’s next secretary-general later this year.

The formation of the new Dutch government comes after seven months of complex negotiations following the electoral victory of far-right leader Geert Wilders last November. Wilders, despite his party’s success, stepped back from the premiership to facilitate coalition talks.

(Inputs from ANI)