Natural partners: On India-Belgium ties
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever met to discuss strengthening bilateral trade, defense cooperation, and strategic ties. The leaders aim to double trade within five years and are exploring new collaborations in high-tech defense and renewable energy.
Why it matters
Strengthening ties between India and Belgium reflects India's broader strategy to diversify defense procurement and deepen economic integration with European nations.
In terms of size and engagement, Belgium is not one of India’s most important partners. However, the visit of the Belgian Prime Minister to Delhi is part of a larger puzzle of India’s ties with European countries. These have now gained salience with focus areas for India: in economic relations, defence relations and strategic ties. At the top of the agenda in talks between Prime Ministers Bart De Wever and Narendra Modi was bilateral trade opportunities once the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is signed — which is expected in December. India-Belgium trade is about $13 billion, a third of which is from over a century of collaboration in the diamond industry. Antwerp is a global hub for diamond trading, while Mumbai and Surat provide the biggest cutting and polishing services.
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