Queen Maxima praises India's digital public infrastructure during 3-day visit focused on country's financial health

Mumbai [Maharashtra], June 24 (ANI): As part of her three-day visit to India as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands praised India’s progress in financial inclusion and digital public infrastructure, saying the next challenge is ensuring these advances improve people’s lives.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, she said, “I am extremely happy to be back in India. I’ve been working a lot with India for a long time on financial inclusion. Now, it is about financial health, which is very important…You’ve done a wonderful job with digital public infrastructure. Now the issue is how to make and use this to improve the lives of the people.”

When asked about the performance of the Netherlands football team in the FIFA World Cup, she told the media, “We hope to be in the finals. We have a long way to go.”

In a post on X, the Netherlands Embassy in India, Nepal and Bhutan, said, “We welcomed Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to India on her 3-day visit – Mumbai and New Delhi in her capacity as the UN Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health.”

We welcomed Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to India on her 3 days visit – Mumbai and New Delhi in her capacity as the UN Secretary Generals Special Advocate for Financial Health.

— NL Embassy for India, Nepal and Bhutan🇮🇳🇳🇵🇧🇹 (@NLinIndia) June 23, 2026

According to the Royal House of the Netherlands’ official press release, the visit, which is taking place from June 23 to June 25 at the invitation of the Government of India, focuses on advancing financial health and building on India’s achievements in financial inclusion.

🇮🇳 In Mumbai spreekt Koningin Máxima met jongeren en verpleegkundigen over apps die helpen met budgetteren, sparen en investeren voor een financieel gezonde toekomst. Ook praat zij over inzet van AI voor financiële adviezen en -producten ‘op maat’. pic.twitter.com/OEcoWznqSG

— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) June 23, 2026

The release noted that around 89 per cent of Indians now have a bank account and have improved access to loans, savings products, insurance and pensions, supported by initiatives such as Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

The visit is centred on improving the quality of financial services so that people can better manage income and expenses, build savings, invest responsibly and secure their financial futures.

In Mumbai on Tuesday, Queen Maxima met nurses and young professionals using digital financial platforms such as ‘SalarySe’ and ‘Jupiter Money’ to manage finances, save and invest. She also participated in discussions on financial health challenges faced by women and rural communities, the role of artificial intelligence in providing personalised financial advice, and measures to prevent digital fraud and protect consumers.

On Wednesday, as per the release, she is to attend discussions on measuring financial health and promoting financial well-being among Indian women. The visit to Mumbai is to conclude with a meeting with Reserve Bank of India Governor, Sanjay Malhotra.

In New Delhi on Thursday, Queen Maxima is scheduled to attend the ‘Financial Health Demo Day’ at the Gates Foundation, where Indian companies will showcase innovations aimed at improving financial health. She will also participate in discussions on responsible data sharing, AI-powered services for farmers, and pension solutions for workers in the informal sector.

The visit is expected to conclude with a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which Queen Maxima will share her observations and findings from the trip.

This is Queen Maxima’s fourth visit to India in her UN advocacy role, following earlier visits in 2014, 2018 and 2022. (ANI)

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