Prime Minister Narendra Modi Met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the Royal Palace on Saturday (16 May 2026). After this, PM Modi told that the copper plates of the Chola dynasty of the 11th century (Chola Era) will now be brought back to India from the Netherlands. Regarding this historic decision, the Prime Minister said that this is a very happy moment for every Indian.
Copper plates of Chola dynasty will be brought to India
While sharing the picture on PM Modi X, he wrote, ‘A very happy moment for every Indian! Copper plates (copper plates) of the Chola dynasty will be brought back to India from the Netherlands. In the presence of Prime Minister Rob Jetten, I participated in this ceremony. These Chola Copper Plates are a set of total 24 plates, of which 21 are large and 3 small plates. Articles are written on them in Tamil language, one of the most beautiful languages in the world. These documents date back to the time of the great king Rajendra Chola I, who formalized an oral promise made by his father, King Rajaraja I.’
PM Modi wrote, ‘This also shows the greatness of the Cholas. We are extremely proud of the Indian Cholas, their culture and their maritime power. I express my gratitude to the Government of the Netherlands and especially to the University of Leiden, where this copper plate was preserved since the middle of the 19th century. These copper plates remained with the Dutch administration for more than a hundred years.
Sharing my remarks during the CEOs Roundtable in the Netherlands. https://t.co/wVpjGnbuIZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2026
Netherlands and India working together: PM Modi
PM Modi said that India and the Netherlands are working together to build a reliable, transparent and future-ready supply chain. He said, ‘From energy security to water conservation, Netherlands and India are working together. Our cooperation on green hydrogen is very important. The historic trade agreement between India and the European Union will further strengthen the partnership between India and the Netherlands.
Referring to Netherlands being famous for tulips, PM Modi said that India is famous for lotus. He said, ‘Both tulip and lotus teach us that whether their roots are in water or earth, both have beauty and strength. India and Netherlands can coordinate on the international platform and work together to achieve global projects. He also said that many civilizations disappeared with time, but India’s diverse culture is still present in the hearts of the people here.
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