00:00Earlier, I spoke with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands on various aspects.
00:04AI, is it an enabler or a disruptor?
00:06What's happening in this changed world order and a changing world system?
00:12Listen in to a very important conversation with the Premier of the Netherlands.
00:18The AI Impact Summit being held in New Delhi has brought down many world leaders.
00:24They've come together over here to discuss the changed and changing world order.
00:30In a day and age where artificial intelligence has become not just a game changer, but I'd say a spartan
00:36parcel.
00:37To discuss this and more, I'm being joined by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Premier Dick Schott.
00:43Thank you so much for joining me here on the network.
00:45Let's begin with the AI Summit.
00:48Your first take on how do you perceive India hosting the summit and India's future as an AI leader?
00:59Yeah, I think it's very important that India supported right at this time the AI Summit.
01:07because we have seen the announcements of AI strategy by China and by the US last summer.
01:14Very competitive, both of them.
01:16And I think it's important that other countries, and certainly also India, which is a big country,
01:22with a lot of talent, specifically in high-tech AI, etc.,
01:27together with other countries, is discussing in what way we can develop AI, a responsible AI,
01:35that also is not only about profit or about control, but is really helping everybody.
01:40Right.
01:41I saw you had a quiet conversation with the Premier, with the Indian Prime Minister.
01:46What was it about?
01:47What was the focus of the conversation?
01:50How are you looking at India being a player in this global game?
01:55Well, we, of course, addressed a number of topics,
01:59but certainly also the relationship between Netherlands and India and also Europe and India.
02:05Probably, you know that Europe signed a trade agreement with India,
02:09and the Netherlands is now in the midst of a process of finalizing our own agreement with India
02:15and different sectors, for example, Semicon, but also water management, agriculture, defense.
02:21And we hope that Prime Minister Modi will be able to come to the Netherlands before summer
02:26to sign this agreement, because it will really give a new input
02:32and an extra stimulus for the excellent relationships that we already have.
02:37And the Netherlands is, I think, the fourth investor in the world, in India,
02:42which I think is important as well.
02:45Prime Minister, sir, in terms of the defense cooperation that you're saying that you'd look at
02:49and you'd like to see enhancement of,
02:52what are the areas, the sectors that you're really looking at developing more engagement and cooperation in?
02:59Well, it's specifically the work of defense industry.
03:01And that they can work very closely together in different areas.
03:07Of course, NAVAL is important for them, it's always been.
03:11But probably also other issues, and also in relation to AI and tech,
03:16which is more and more of importance in the world of defense.
03:21Do you see the actualization and implementation of the EUFTA sooner than later?
03:27Yeah, well, I think sooner than later, actually, because it's very important.
03:33Europe made a clear decision that we want to be less dependent from one country or one continent.
03:41So we have different trade agreements.
03:44The Commission finalized Mercosur with Latin America,
03:49now finalized the trade agreement with India, which is very important.
03:55And I think the trade agreement with India is less complicated than the one with Latin America,
04:02because it's not about agriculture, beef, etc.
04:05It's always difficult in Europe.
04:06So I think it will be implemented very, very quickly.
04:09And everybody is also very putting pressure on it.
04:12I notice that also in the regular meetings we have with European leaders.
04:16I see you spoke of dependence.
04:19So the kind of conversations European leaders are having with countries like China, India,
04:26we've heard Chancellor Murs is going to enhance cooperation with China, so on and so forth.
04:32Is it because of the weaponization of tariffs that you're seeing?
04:35Is it because of the policies that are very hardened by the Trump administration, by President Trump,
04:41the reason why you're looking at not depending on one country, but diversifying?
04:46Well, it's the whole geopolitical shift we see in the world.
04:50I mean, Europe still faces the threat of Russia.
04:52We still see the aggression war against Ukraine, which is a big importance for safety and security in Europe.
04:58We see China as a new actor in the game for already one or two decades.
05:05And we had a bipolar order.
05:07And now we have a multipolar order.
05:09And that order, you also need to rearrange your relationship with different countries and blocs around the world.
05:16And Europe wants a step of itself to reunite, specifically on the economy and also in relation to defense.
05:25But in defense, very close in NATO, because we don't want to lose our very important transatlantic relationships.
05:33But meanwhile, we try to find all kinds of solutions with different countries, including China, including the U.S., including
05:42India.
05:43Right.
05:43How vulnerable is Europe at this juncture?
05:47We know that the changed world order, again, you fought a very tough war standing with Ukraine.
05:53But today it does seem like the negotiations that are underway and Europe has to realign itself in terms of
06:01the negotiations that are underway.
06:03So how vulnerable do you think Europe is today?
06:06Well, one of the famous sayings that goes around in Europe is that we are not at war but not
06:12at peace either.
06:14And that's because of the threat of Russia and the aggression war against Ukraine.
06:19We step up our defense.
06:21We gave also the Netherlands specifically massive support to Ukraine.
06:26We want a strong Ukraine, strong Ukraine army.
06:29At the same time, we want to put pressure on Russia as much as possible so that peace is being
06:34established in Ukraine.
06:36But at the same time, we have to build up our defense because the threat of Russia is not going
06:41away.
06:42What are the hopes of the U.S. mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine?
06:47Well, it's important that the U.S. puts pressure on Russia.
06:51I think it's even more important than we do it as Europe.
06:56And there has been talks again this week.
06:59But they are talking a lot.
07:00I mean, they are talking with Iran.
07:02They are today in Washington.
07:04There's also the word of peace around Gaza, Israel.
07:08So there's a lot going on in the world.
07:10And America has a stake in all of it.
07:12But I really sincerely hope that the pressure on Russia leads to a justified peace for Ukraine.
07:20And meanwhile, Europe is playing its role, is involved, is putting pressure on all parties except Ukraine.
07:28We are helping Ukraine.
07:30And we are also willing, we have this coalition of willing, where the Netherlands is also part of,
07:36but most European countries are willing to step up also militarily after a peace in Ukraine.
07:42Okay.
07:43And what's your opinion and position, sir, on the board of peace?
07:46You just spoke about it.
07:47The meetings are happening, being part of it, a two-state solution, looking at the misery and problems in Gaza
07:56and West Bank.
07:57How do you see it?
07:58Well, for the Dutch government, the two-state solution has always been the cornerstone of our policy.
08:05And the first phase of peace was really welcomed also by the Dutch government.
08:10I myself was in Sharm el-Sheikh also at that moment.
08:15We are, on a political level, not in Washington, because the board of peace is now not only about Gaza,
08:22but it's much broader.
08:24So we have a lot of questions about the board of peace, but our ambassador is in Washington as an
08:31observer.
08:32So we have not made the decision about joining the board of peace.
08:36And circling back to the AI summit, before I let you go, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that AI
08:43should be child-safe and family-guided.
08:47How important is it for the Netherlands to ensure that AI does not become a disruptor but an enabler and
08:54that children are safe in a day and age where we're looking at files coming out left, right and center
08:59of how vulnerable our children can really be?
09:01Yeah, well, there's only one answer possible. It's very important. And it's also part of what I'm saying is responsible
09:08AI.
09:09And it also goes to funerable people, like children. I mean, they believe everything they see.
09:15So we have to be very careful. And I know that's also in discussion in the Netherlands and also in
09:21Europe, but if we should follow the example of a barrier before the age of 15 or 16, something like
09:28that.
09:28But it's a discussion that's not finalized in the Netherlands yet.
09:33But the issue of responsible AI and making sure that children don't get their own content or get fake information
09:41or false information is very, very important.
09:44For your own domestic audience, we do know that government is shuffling a bit in the Netherlands.
09:53But are you looking at a stronger AI policy? You just said you're considering it.
09:58But a stronger policy, like many other countries, where they're saying there should be an age bar for what a
10:04child can access and cannot access.
10:06Well, age bar is still in the discussion.
10:08But we are certainly in the midst of creating our own national, international AI policy, because we very strongly believe
10:19that AI, as you mentioned earlier, can change.
10:22It's even more than that.
10:24So we have to meet a policy, and part of that policy is a partnership with other countries, and not
10:31only within the EU, it's important within the EU, but also with other countries, and certainly India, because we've got
10:38a great talent base over here.
10:40And I think we have some shared values that we want responsible AI, and that's also what we are in
10:46the Netherlands and also in Europe are looking for.
10:47Finally, so before I let you go, there's a massive north-south divide that we're seeing now, and it's increasing
10:53furthermore.
10:55In a scenario such as this, what role โ you're on Indian soil, so I ask you this โ what
11:02role can India play in leading or paving the way forward for the global south?
11:08I can โ I think India can bridge that gap, and it was a part of the AI summit today.
11:16I mean, everybody spoke about the global south, and I think that's also why it's important that a lot of
11:22European leaders were here today as well, because in that way we could also already begin to bridge the gap
11:28between north and south.
Comments