Over 600 people to participate in R-Day celebrations in Netherlands

India's 71st Republic Day will be celebrated in a grand manner at the India House here -- the residence of Ambassador of India to the Netherlands -- and more than 600 Indian community members are expected to participate in the activities, an official statement said.

The celebrations at the India House will begin with the hoisting of the Indian national flag by the ambassador at 10.00 am, the statement issued by the Indian Embassy on Thursday said.

The flag hoisting will be followed by singing of the National Anthem and reading of President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the nation.

This will be followed by a performance of patriotic songs and refreshments, it said.

"Over 600 representatives of the Indian community and friends of India are expected to attend the celebrations," it said.

In a special gesture, KPN, leading telecom company in the Netherlands, will run LED animations displaying the Indian flag and the message 'Happy Republic Day' on a board near the iconic Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm on January 26, the embassy statement said.

The Netherlands is home to the largest population of overseas Indians in Europe.

Since Ambassador Venu Rajamony assumed office in June 2017, Independence Day and Republic Day are celebrated as an open house for all members of the Indian diaspora and friends.

Last year, their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima made their first state visit to India, marking a high point in a long history of friendly ties between the countries.

The main sectors of cooperation between India and the Netherlands are agriculture, ports and shipping, water and waste management, science and technology, and urban development, etc.