Belgian Prime Minister arrives in India for historic bilateral talks.Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever arrived in New Delhi on an official three-day visit to expand strategic ties with India across commerce, defence, clean energy, and ports. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth received De Wever upon his landing. This engagement marks the first visit by a Belgian head of government to India in twenty years, opening a fresh chapter in diplomatic relations established between both democracies in September 1947.Strengthening Economic And Defence Alliances.High-level bilateral talks between De Wever and Prime Minister Narendra Modi focus on expanding mutual cooperation and addressing shared international concerns. Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade, Theo Francken, joins the visiting delegation alongside business executives and defence manufacturers. Bilateral trade between both nations reached USD 13.01 billion during the 2025-26 financial year, supported heavily by gemstone commerce passing through Antwerp. Foreign direct investment from Belgium to India stood at approximately USD 4.2 billion from April 2000 to December 2025.Both leaders intend to expand defence manufacturing ties following Belgium’s recent posting of a dedicated Defence Attaché to New Delhi. Counter-terrorism cooperation remains an equal priority, reinforced by shared security commitments following previous international incidents. Belgium continues to support India’s bid for permanent membership in a reformed United Nations Security Council.Expanding Clean Technology and Maritime Links.Economic engagements extend beyond capital diplomacy into industrial expansion. De Wever will address business leaders at a Confederation of Indian Industry gathering regarding progress on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. Belgian engineering firm John Cockerill is currently constructing a 2 GW electrolyser facility in Kakinada, advancing domestic green hydrogen manufacturing. In Nainital, collaboration with Belgian aerospace firm AMOS previously established a major liquid mirror telescope at ARIES.Following his diplomatic meetings in New Delhi, De Wever travels to Mumbai to confer with port authorities, supply chain operators, and diamond traders. Educational exchanges continue to flourish alongside trade, with over 1,100 Indian students enrolled in Belgian institutions and a vibrant diaspora of 35,000 citizens anchoring cultural ties.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever Lands in New Delhi Ending Two Decades Of Diplomatic Silence
