Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, has expressed strong optimism about the potential of the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying the agreement could significantly expand trade between the two regions.
Siemons said European countries are keen to strengthen commercial ties with India, adding that the country’s ongoing economic and infrastructure developments offer substantial opportunities for expanding bilateral trade.
“I have very high expectations of FTA, and I think with the developments in India going on, the potential is huge. And I think Europe is really looking forward to doing more and more business with India,” he told ANI.
Highlighting the importance of efficient trade facilitation, Siemons stressed that closer cooperation between customs authorities would be essential to reducing delays in cargo movement. He noted that inefficient customs procedures can leave goods stalled at ports for one to two weeks, affecting supply chains and overall logistics efficiency.
“The quicker and the more efficiently that customs departments work together, the less delays there are in ports because of customs procedures,” he said, underlining the need for improved coordination between customs agencies in India and Europe.
Siemons also emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration between ports and countries to support the seamless movement of goods across international markets. As global trade becomes increasingly dependent on digital platforms, he identified digitalisation as a key area for cooperation between India and the Port of Rotterdam.
He said discussions had focused on how ports and countries could work together more effectively in an interconnected global economy, with the objective of enabling smoother and more efficient trade flows between India and Europe.
“Digitalisation, making sure that the goods can flow more easily between India and Europe, is something that we will be working on,” Siemons said.
The comments highlight the growing importance of trade facilitation, digital connectivity and integrated logistics in strengthening India–Europe economic relations. Closer coordination among ports, customs authorities and logistics stakeholders could help reduce cargo dwell times, improve supply-chain efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of trade between the two regions.
The Port of Rotterdam, one of Europe’s leading maritime gateways, serves as a major hub for international shipping and cargo distribution. Stronger cooperation with Indian ports could further improve connectivity between the two markets and support the expansion of bilateral trade, particularly as businesses look to capitalise on the opportunities expected from the India–EU FTA.