New Delhi [India], September 4 (ANI): India and Belgium on Thursday unveiled 10 key outcomes during Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s three-day official visit to India, with the two sides stepping up cooperation across trade, investment, defence, renewable energy, security and people-to-people ties.
Briefing the media here following De Wever’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George said that the relationship between the two countries has a clear focus on “three Ts” — trade, technology and talent.
“In a nutshell, there is a clear focus on three Ts: Trade, Technology and Talent in this relationship,” George said.
De Wever arrived in India on September 2 for the three-day visit, at the invitation of PM Modi, with discussions focused on further strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across trade, investment, defence, technology and connectivity.
Among the key outcomes, India and Belgium signed a Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation and an MoU between the Belgian Security and Defence Industry Association (BDSI) and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).
George said the Letter of Intent provides “a formal institutional basis to our growing defence relationship”, while several defence and industrial collaborations between the two countries were also finalised.
India also announced the appointment of a resident Defence Attaché at its Embassy in Brussels. George said the move would contribute to greater progress in defence engagement and enable the two sides to leverage “Belgian technology together with India’s skill and scale.”
On trade and investment, the two sides set a target of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years. George said bilateral trade currently stands at about USD 13 billion.
The two countries also agreed to establish an investment fast-track mechanism to facilitate and promote Belgian investments in India and institutionalise regular business engagement through the India-Belgium Business Forum.
The two sides also reviewed ongoing engagement between Belgium’s sovereign wealth fund and India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), while fintech cooperation was discussed by the two leaders.
In the renewable energy sector, India and Belgium signed an MoU aimed at expanding collaboration in areas including green hydrogen, green ammonia, solar energy, energy storage, offshore wind energy, bioenergy, small hydropower and pumped storage plants.
George said technology cooperation would also cover the mining sector, including critical mineral extraction, refining and processing.
“Cooperation in technology also covers the mining sector, critical minerals extraction, refining, processing, etc,” he said.
The two sides also discussed cooperation in maritime logistics centred around the Port of Antwerp, which George described as one of India’s primary cargo gateways to Europe.
“India and Belgium actively cooperate on maritime logistics centred around the Port of Antwerp, which is among India's primary cargo gateways to Europe. Cooperation in the port sector is in full swing,” he said.
On talent and mobility, George said enhanced mobility of skilled professionals, students, researchers and business travellers would be essential for strengthening the relationship.
Ongoing cooperation between Belgian healthcare institutions and India was also welcomed, including initiatives facilitating the mobility of qualified nurses from India to Belgium. PM Modi also invited Belgian universities and premier academic institutions to open campuses in India.
On security cooperation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Belgian Federal Police signed an MoU on cooperation against transnational organised crime and cybercrime and related matters.
The two countries also agreed to establish a Consular Dialogue and signed an MoU on diplomatic training between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and Belgium’s FPS Foreign Affairs.
George said discussions also covered the green transition, emerging technologies, critical minerals technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, food processing and strengthening links between the startup ecosystems of the two countries.
The two sides also reviewed cooperation in microelectronics, including semiconductor companies, and discussed the growing importance of artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and innovation.
The leaders also took stock of the broader India-EU partnership and recalled the successful conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU free trade agreement, calling for its timely implementation.
They also noted that the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership would deepen strategic cooperation in areas including maritime security, defence industry and technology, cyber and hybrid threats, space and counterterrorism.
On counterterrorism, Belgium condemned the terrorist attack on civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April last year.
“Both leaders underscored their commitment to a comprehensive global approach to counterterrorism and affirmed that terrorism in any form and manifestation and anywhere could never be justified,” George said.
The leaders also called for perpetrators to be held accountable in accordance with international law and stressed the need for the international community to act together against terrorists and terrorist entities, including those designated under the UN Security Council’s 1267 sanctions regime, as well as terrorist networks, their safe havens and financing.
The 10 key outcomes announced during the visit cover defence cooperation, defence industry cooperation, renewable energy, security, diplomatic training, defence representation, investment facilitation, bilateral trade, business engagement and consular ties, reflecting the broadening scope of the India-Belgium partnership. (ANI)
India, Belgium unveil 10 key outcomes during PM De Wever’s visit; MEA says ties focused on 3Ts - trade, technology, talent
