India and Belgium have agreed to double bilateral trade over the next five years as the two countries moved to deepen cooperation in defence, renewable energy, cybercrime, critical minerals and semiconductors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in New Delhi on Thursday. The two leaders reviewed the full range of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
During the talks, India and Belgium exchanged several agreements, including a Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation and MoUs on renewable energy, cybercrime and diplomatic training.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Prime Minister Modi said the world is going through a period of major upheaval, with conflicts continuing in several parts of the world. He said uncertainty was affecting food, fuel and global supply chains.
Despite these challenges, Modi said, the Indian economy has maintained its momentum, recording growth of 7.8 per cent in the latest quarter. He added that India's economic growth is increasingly becoming a source of confidence and new opportunities for the global economy.
Highlighting the historical ties between the two countries, Modi said the courage and sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers in Belgium during the First World War remain an important part of their shared memory.
He said India's democratic values, market economy and strong people-to-people connections make the two countries natural partners. Recalling his visit to Belgium a decade ago, Modi said the bilateral partnership had made remarkable progress over the past ten years.
The Prime Minister noted that cooperation has expanded beyond traditional areas to strategic sectors such as defence and clean energy. India and Belgium are working together on modern defence equipment, including the Zorawar light tank.
The two countries are also developing one of the world's largest green ammonia projects in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. Modi said a clean energy future and reliable supply chains are shared priorities, adding that the new renewable energy agreement would give fresh momentum to cooperation in the sector.
India and Belgium have further agreed to strengthen cooperation in the processing and recycling of critical minerals. In the semiconductor sector, the two sides will seek to combine Belgium's technological expertise with India's scale and manufacturing capabilities.
As part of this effort, India and Belgium will work to connect Belgium's IMEC research institute with India's growing semiconductor ecosystem, opening new avenues for technology and industrial cooperation.
