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India-Belgium Joint Statement: PM Modi and Belgian PM Bart De Wever Blueprint Roadmap to Double Bilateral Trade
Summary: India and Belgium are taking their bilateral partnership to the next level. During Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s landmark official visit to New Delhi, both nations agreed to double two-way trade in five years, launch a new Investment Fast-Track Mechanism, and deepen cooperation across green hydrogen, semiconductors, and defence. Here is everything you need to know about this major diplomatic milestone.
New Delhi, September 3, 2026: At the invitation of Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, H.E. Mr. Bart De Wever, is undertaking an official state visit to India from September 2 to 4, 2026. Accompanied by Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade, H.E. Mr. Theo Francken, alongside a high-level official and business delegation, this marks Prime Minister De Wever’s inaugural visit to India since assuming office in February 2025.
The Belgian Prime Minister commenced his trip by paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, followed by high-level bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi in restricted and delegation-level formats at New Delhi.
India-Belgium Bilateral Cooperation: Core Initiatives & Outcomes
| Focus Area | Core Initiatives & Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Trade Target | Commitment to double bilateral trade volume over the next 5 years. |
| Investment | Launch of the India-Belgium Investment Fast-Track Mechanism. |
| Defence & Security | Signed LOI for defence framework; proposed Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. |
| Green Transition | Renewed MoU on Renewable Energy covering Green Hydrogen and Offshore Wind. |
| Technology | Collaboration between Indian micro-electronics and Belgium’s imec. |
| Multilateral Governance | Belgium reaffirmed support for India's permanent UNSC seat. |
Deepening Trade, Economic Ties, and Investment Fast-Track
Highlighting the economic complementarities between Belgium (the world's 24th largest economy) and India's drive toward a $10 trillion economy, both leaders outlined an ambitious goal to double bilateral trade within the next five years.
To remove entry barriers for businesses, the leaders launched the India-Belgium Investment Fast-Track Mechanism, a dedicated platform designed to resolve bottlenecks and encourage two-way investments.
Both nations also agreed to formalize collaboration between Belgium’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SFPIM) and India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) to establish an Indo-Belgian Economic and Investment Corridor. Key focus sectors include:
- Semiconductors & AI: Building partnerships between Indian chip developers, C-DAC, and Belgium's world-leading micro-electronics hub, imec.
- Diamond Trade: Strengthening the historic diamond link connecting Antwerp with processing hubs in Surat and Mumbai.
- Maritime & Ports: Expanding cooperation between Flanders Port Training Centre (APEC) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
Defence Framework, Counter-Terrorism, and Security
Strengthening strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific, India and Belgium signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) between their respective Defence Ministries. The agreement establishes a structured framework for regular staff talks, joint military education, research, and co-production in defence manufacturing.
Key security highlights include:
- Counter-Terrorism: Prime Minister De Wever condemned cross-border terrorism and expressed solidarity with India. Both sides agreed to explore setting up a Belgium-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism.
- Law Enforcement Cooperation: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Police of Belgium signed an MoU to combat transnational organized crime and cybercrime.
- Military Mobility: Belgium will deploy a Defence Attaché in New Delhi, while India confirmed plans to appoint a resident Defence Attaché in Brussels.
Green Energy Transition and Climate Action
Building on the foundation laid in 2015, both Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of a renewed MoU on Renewable Energy Cooperation. The scope of cooperation now expands into:
1. Green Hydrogen value-chains (production, storage, and transport).
2. Offshore wind and small hydropower projects.
3. Solar energy and advanced energy storage systems.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement and looked forward to concrete outcomes at COP31.
Mobility, Education, and People-to-People Connections
Addressing visa processing efficiency, both leaders welcomed measures to scale up diplomatic processing capacity. Following the launch of the EU Legal Gateway Office in India, discussions are underway for a bilateral MoU on Mobility and Migration to streamline pathways for skilled workers, researchers, and nurses.
Prime Minister Modi also invited top Belgian universities to establish branch campuses in India under the National Education Policy (NEP).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What are the main outcomes of Belgian PM Bart De Wever's visit to India?
👉 The main outcomes include a target to double bilateral trade in 5 years, the launch of an Investment Fast-Track Mechanism, a signed defence LOI, a CBI-Belgian Federal Police MoU against cybercrime, and a renewed MoU on Renewable Energy.
Q2: Does Belgium support India's claim for a permanent UN Security Council seat?
👉 Yes, Belgium explicitly reaffirmed its support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat in a reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Q3: What is the India-Belgium Investment Fast-Track Mechanism?
👉 It is a dedicated bilateral platform designed to facilitate investments, clear regulatory bottlenecks, and boost investor confidence for Indian firms in Belgium and Belgian companies in India.
(Source-pmindia)
India Belgium Relations, Narendra Modi, Bart De Wever
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