Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Sep 03
India and Belgium agreed to expand cooperation in trade, defence, critical minerals, clean energy, and technology on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
Modi highlighted India’s 7.8 percent economic growth in the latest quarter, saying the performance was providing confidence and creating opportunities for the global economy at a time of geopolitical and supply-chain uncertainty.
“Today, the world is going through a period of great upheaval. Conflicts continue to persist in many parts of the world. Whether it is food, fuel, or supply chains, every sector is being impacted by uncertainty,” Modi said in a joint media statement.
“In this challenging environment, India’s economy has maintained its momentum. We recorded 7.8 per cent growth in the last quarter. Today, India’s growth story is becoming a source of confidence and new opportunities for the world,” he said.
De Wever described the conclusion of the India-European Union free trade agreement as a major milestone and said relations between Brussels and New Delhi had become broader and more strategic.
Defence and security cooperation would remain a key pillar of bilateral ties, Modi said.
The two sides agreed to increase military exchanges and training, while government and defence-industry agreements would create opportunities for joint development and production, he said.
India and Belgium would also strengthen intelligence cooperation to combat crime, Modi said.
The leaders agreed to deepen ties between start-ups and increase cooperation in maritime capacity building, universities and research.
Modi said the two countries would work towards concluding a Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement to facilitate the movement of skilled workers and talent.
On international conflicts, Modi said India and Belgium supported dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the wars in Ukraine and West Asia.
“India and Belgium both believe in the rule of law, dialogue, and diplomacy. Be it Ukraine or West Asia, we support all efforts for the early end of conflicts and for peace,” he said.
He said both countries were committed to combating terrorism.
Clean energy and reliable supply chains were also identified as areas for closer cooperation.
An agreement on renewable energy signed during the visit would give further momentum to bilateral sustainability cooperation, Modi said.
The two countries also agreed to increase cooperation in critical-mineral processing and recycling, while exploring opportunities in semiconductors.
“Belgium’s expertise and India’s scale are complementary to each other,” Modi said.
De Wever’s visit follows a Belgian economic mission to India led by Princess Astrid in March 2025, during which around 40 agreements were signed.
Officials said the visit would also strengthen Belgium’s role in India-EU relations.
India and Belgium established diplomatic relations in September 1947, shortly after India’s independence, and have since developed extensive economic ties.
Bilateral trade stood at USD 13.01 billion in 2025-26, with diamond commerce forming a significant component because Antwerp is a major global diamond trading centre.
Belgium has also become a significant source of foreign investment in India, with inflows estimated at USD 4.2 billion between April 2000 and December 2025.
The two countries established a new ministerial-level strategic dialogue in July.
The inaugural Belgium-India Strategic Dialogue was held in Brussels on July 15 and was co-chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot.
The framework is intended to provide a regular mechanism for discussing bilateral, regional, and global issues.
Belgian companies are also involved in India’s clean-energy sector. John Cockerill is building an electrolyser production facility in Kakinada with an expected capacity of 2 gigawatts.
Belgium’s position as a major European maritime and logistics hub also offers scope for cooperation in ports, shipping, and supply chains.
