Belgian PM’s India Visit: Modi Pushes Defence Cooperation, Trade and Semiconductor Ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging bilateral talks with visiting Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday, marking the first visit by a Belgian premier to India in two decades.
The two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations, with a focus on defence, trade, investment, innovation, semiconductors, fintech and critical minerals, as well as people-to-people ties and academic and research cooperation. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The meeting saw the exchange of Memorandums of Understanding covering defence, renewable energy, combating crime and diplomatic training between the two nations. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the signing of a Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation, aimed at facilitating access to advanced technologies and European defence supply chains while promoting indigenous manufacturing, co-design and co-production.
Addressing a joint press conference, Modi described defence and security cooperation as a vital pillar of the relationship. He said both countries had finalised pacts to strengthen military exchanges and training, along with agreements enabling defence co-development and co-production.
On clean technology, Modi said the renewable energy agreement would give fresh momentum to cooperation on sustainability. India and Belgium will also deepen collaboration on processing and recycling critical minerals and work to integrate Belgium's IMEC institute with India's semiconductor ecosystem. Modi also pointed to India's 7.8 per cent growth in the last quarter as a source of confidence and opportunity for the world.
De Wever hailed India as the world's largest democracy and fastest-growing major economy, calling it an important ally. He also highlighted the significance of being the first Belgian prime minister to visit India in 20 years.
On the sidelines, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Belgian Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken, with both sides calling for deeper defence-industrial cooperation.
De Wever later addressed a CII business event on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. He is scheduled to travel to Mumbai on Friday to meet stakeholders from the diamond, ports and logistics sectors, continuing the momentum from the 2025 Belgian Economic Mission.