Context: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s visit to India highlights the growing importance of India–Belgium ties within India’s broader engagement with Europe, particularly in trade, defence and strategic cooperation.
Economic and Trade Cooperation
- India–Belgium bilateral trade is around $13 billion, with nearly one-third linked to the diamond industry, reflecting more than a century of cooperation.
- Antwerp is a major global hub for diamond trading, while Mumbai and Surat are leading centres for diamond cutting and polishing.
- With the expected conclusion of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), both sides seek to expand cooperation beyond diamonds into areas such as renewable energy and food processing.
- India and Belgium have set an ambitious target of doubling bilateral trade within five years.
Defence and Security Cooperation
- Belgium has a technologically advanced defence industry, including capabilities in small arms, drones, counter-drone systems, ammunition and naval defence.
- Belgium is seeking greater access to the Indian defence market, while India is looking to diversify defence procurement beyond traditional major suppliers.
- The two countries agreed on an MoU for co-development of military hardware and signed a Letter of Intent on defence cooperation.
- India will appoint a resident Defence Attaché in Brussels, complementing Belgium’s decision to strengthen its own defence representation in India.
T Convergence: From Bilateral to Geopolitical
- The discussions went beyond bilateral cooperation to broader questions of European strategic autonomy, supply-chain resilience and global geopolitics.
- Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever acknowledged Europe’s growing recognition of India’s concerns regarding overdependence on major powers, particularly China, in trade and industrial production.
- India and Belgium share several foundational similarities, including democratic values, market-oriented economies and strong people-to-people linkages, leading India to describe Belgium as a “natural partner.”
- India’s intensified engagement with European countries reflects its broader effort to deepen strategic ties with Europe alongside economic cooperation.
India–Belgium Relations amid Russia–Ukraine Conflict
- The timing of the Belgian Prime Minister’s visit, alongside India’s preparations to host Russian President Vladimir Putin for the BRICS Summit, highlights India’s ability to engage simultaneously with European countries and Russia.
- Belgium and other European countries have strong differences with Russia over the Russia–Ukraine conflict, while India maintains a longstanding strategic relationship with Moscow.
- Continued India–Belgium engagement despite these differences indicates a growing maturity and pragmatism in bilateral relations.
- It reflects India’s broader multi-alignment approach, where partnerships are pursued on the basis of shared interests without allowing differences on third-country issues to derail bilateral ties.
