Trade, Defense, and Cooperation deepen as India–Belgium talks conclude
New Delhi, September 3: India and Belgium have agreed to double their trade in the next five years. Following talks between the leaders of the two countries on Thursday, consensus was reached on 10 topics, with defense cooperation being the most important.
An agreement was signed today between the two countries to acquire cutting-edge technology and expertise within the European defense supply chain, promote defense production, technological development, and co-production in the country, and invest in defense innovation.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, an agreement has been reached between the Belgian Security and Defense Industry Association (BDSI) and the Society of Indian Defense Manufacturers (SIDM) and to appoint a resident defense attaché at the Indian Embassy in Brussels in the near future. A mechanism will be established to accelerate investment in the country. This is expected to lead to significant investment from Belgium to India. India and Belgium have agreed to institutionalize their business form. This will help Indians from both countries explore business opportunities with Belgian and European businesses.
India and Belgium will establish consular dialogues to facilitate the movement of students, professionals, travelers, and businesspeople. Furthermore, an agreement has been signed between the two countries on renewable energy. An agreement has been reached on cooperation between the two countries’ agencies (CBI and Belgian Federal Police) in matters related to organized crime and transnational cyber and other crimes. An agreement has also been reached on the training of political leaders between the two countries.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is on an official visit to India from September 2-4. He is accompanied by Belgian Minister of Defense and Foreign Trade, Theo Francken, and a high-level delegation of officials and business leaders. This is Prime Minister De Wever’s first visit to India since assuming office in February 2025.
Prime Minister De Wever began his visit today by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Following this, Prime Minister De Wever held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi, first in a limited format and later at the delegation level. Their discussions covered all aspects of relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Modi hosted a luncheon for Prime Minister De Wever and his accompanying delegation.
The joint statement issued after the talks stated that Belgium reiterated its support for India’s candidature for permanent membership in the UN Security Council following its reform and expansion. Both countries also supported each other’s candidatures for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Prime Minister Modi invited leading Belgian universities and top educational institutions to open campuses in India under India’s new education policy.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. He reiterated his condemnation of the terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India, in April 2025.
He expressed his desire to explore the possibility of establishing a Belgium-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with the aim of enhancing bilateral cooperation in addressing evolving terrorist threats.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the growth and diversification of bilateral economic relations. They welcomed the growing cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, defense industrial cooperation, refining and recycling of critical minerals, sustainable industries, and nuclear energy, including exploring new opportunities for collaboration with private sector stakeholders.
The two leaders also welcomed the ongoing discussions between Belgium’s sovereign wealth fund, the Federal Holding and Investment Company, and India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund. They expressed hope to formalize this cooperation to help establish an Indo-Belgian economic and investment corridor.
The two Prime Ministers also exchanged views on major international developments, including recent events in Ukraine and West Asia. Regarding the war in Ukraine, both sides reiterated their support for efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the UN Charter and principles of international law. On West Asia, they discussed the worrying recent developments in the region and emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomatic engagement to peacefully resolve challenges. They also stressed the importance of ensuring the safety and security of sea lanes and maintaining safe and unimpeded maritime shipping.
Prime Minister Bart De Wever invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to undertake a bilateral visit to Belgium at a mutually convenient time.
