The Dutch LSH sector has identified India as one of the few countries of key focus under its renewed global strategy. Life Science and Health (LSH) is one of the top nine priority sectors designated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs for its ability to address global social problems. With this, the stage is set to take existing Indo-Dutch cross-overbusiness collaboration in LSH, deep tech, cyber-security and agri-tech sectors, into the next phase of growth.

In this context, the Netherlands (NL) Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the operational unit of Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, helping businesses settle in NL, hosted a panel discussion recently at WTC, Bengaluru.

According to Jeroen Nijland, Foreign Investment Commissioner from NL, “These are interesting times in the Indo-Dutch bi-lateral trade relations. The reclocation of European Medical Agency from UK to Amsterdam post Brexit enhances NL’s prospect as an export gateway to Europe for Indian LSH companies.”

Based on the participation of NFIA in the international working group LSH, the sector specialist, Ms. Sandra de Wild stressed upon, “the emerging synergies in digital, e-health and research collaboration that will enhance the knowledge ecosystem in NL and create new jobs in both countries. The Netherlands is a global leader in patents in LSH and ranks 2nd in patent application for biotech in the world. What we have noticed specifically from Bangalore is a spike in biotech and pharma related projects dealing with AI and digital health in the last 1.5 years, making us bullish about this market.”

“Bangalore with its enabling e-health and high-tech start-ups in imaging, 3-D printing, AI, creates excellent opportunities for the next-wave of innovative partnerships from India. These start-ups when combined with Netherlands’ strengths in Therapeutics & Vaccines, Diagnostics, Medtech and E-Health can solve pressing health challenges for the world,” she added.

In 2018, NFIA saw an investment of approx 250 million euros from Indian companies in the LSH sector, in NL, thereby offering 700 job opportunities.

The Dutch healthcare experts will be bringing a Digital Health Mission to Indian in June 2019 to discuss more opportunities for the LSH sector in both India and NL.