Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever Visits India as New Delhi and Brussels Deepen Strategic Partnership
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever visited India from September 2 to 4 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking his first visit to the country since becoming Belgium’s prime minister in February 2025. He was accompanied by Belgium’s Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken and a high-level delegation of officials and business leaders.
De Wever’s visit marked an important expansion of India-Belgium relations beyond their traditional economic and diamond-trade links. The two sides placed defence, advanced technology, clean energy, critical minerals, semiconductors, research and investment at the centre of their discussions.
The Belgian prime minister began his visit by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat before holding talks with Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi. The leaders discussed bilateral relations as well as major international developments, including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia and the importance of maintaining secure and uninterrupted maritime trade routes.
A major outcome of the visit was a push to transform defence cooperation into a stronger industrial partnership. India and Belgium agreed to expand defence dialogue, high-level military exchanges, training and capacity building, while exploring joint development and production of defence equipment.
The defence cooperation includes work involving rockets, ammunition, naval mine-countermeasure systems, electro-optics and counter-drone technologies. A government-to-government Letter of Intent was also signed to provide a broader framework for military cooperation.
One notable industrial development involves 70-mm rocket systems produced by Belgium-based Thales operations and India’s Kalyani Strategic Systems. The partnership is expected to support production and integration in India, with the first fully assembled rocket reportedly targeted for early 2027.
Economic cooperation was another central pillar of the visit. India and Belgium agreed to establish an Investment Fast-Track Mechanism to facilitate Belgian investment in India and set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years.
The discussions also reflected the growing importance of resilient supply chains. Critical minerals, semiconductors, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, fintech, ports and logistics were identified as areas where the two economies can expand cooperation.
The visit also carried significance for India-Europe economic relations. De Wever backed the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and criticized arbitrary tariff barriers, arguing that protectionist measures can undermine global trade. He presented closer India-EU economic ties as a way to strengthen resilience against international economic disruptions.
Belgium’s position as a major global diamond hub adds another important dimension to the relationship. Antwerp has long been closely connected with India’s diamond industry, and De Wever’s political career also included serving as mayor of Antwerp, a city with a large Indian community and deep commercial links with India.
The visit produced cooperation across multiple sectors and demonstrated an effort by both governments to diversify their relationship. Defence manufacturing, technology, energy and strategic supply chains are increasingly being added to the established foundation of trade and diamonds.
The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue, diplomacy, international law and a rules-based international order. They expressed support for diplomatic efforts toward peace in Ukraine and emphasized dialogue in addressing instability in West Asia.
De Wever also invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Belgium at a mutually convenient time. The invitation underlines the intention to maintain momentum following the September summit and further integrate bilateral cooperation with wider India-Europe and India-EU engagement.
Bart De Wever’s India visit represents a significant broadening of the India-Belgium partnership. With new defence-industrial projects, investment mechanisms, technology cooperation and a five-year trade ambition, both countries are seeking to build a relationship that is increasingly strategic as well as commercial.
