'Shared history': India, Belgium and the forgotten World War 1 soldiers of Flanders Fields
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever visited India to strengthen diplomatic ties, highlighting the shared history of Indian soldiers who fought in Flanders during World War I. A planned gift of a chocolate India Gate was damaged during transit, but the gesture underscored the historical connection between the two nations.
Why it matters
Diplomatic gestures based on shared historical sacrifices help foster bilateral relations and cultural understanding between India and Belgium.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who is on a three-day official visit to India, had a unique gift planned for his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi. It was not an award or an artefact, but chocolate.The gesture was a small, sweet reminder of the ties between the two countries — and of a shared history that began more than a century ago on the battlefields of Flanders.During a media briefing, De Wever said he had planned to present Modi with a fitting gift — a sculpture of India Gate made entirely out of the finest Belgian chocolate. However, the sculpture did not survive the journey to India.“I had actually planned to present to Prime Minister Modi a fitting gift — a sculpture of India Gate entirely made out of the best Belgian chocolates.
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