New Delhi [India], September 3 (ANI): Hailing India as a major global powerhouse during his landmark official visit to New Delhi, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday emphasised deepening bilateral cooperation across economic and strategic fronts.
De Wever hailed India as the largest democracy with the fastest-growing economy, terming New Delhi an important ally.
While delivering joint remarks along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Belgian leader stated, "It is particularly meaningful to be here as the first Belgian Prime Minister in 20 years, and that's a very long time. It's too long. In those 20 years, India has changed enormously, and certainly during the period of the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Today, you are not only the world's largest democracy, but also the fastest-growing major economy. It has become an economic and technological powerhouse and a major geopolitical factor whose voice carries way beyond this region."
"For Belgium, this makes India an increasingly important partner, and I believe my country also has a lot to offer to India in return. We are a little bit smaller in scale. But we are one of the world's most open and internationally connected economies. We have built our prosperity on trade and access to global markets. With 11 million inhabitants and a country 100 times smaller than India, we have grown into the 25th economy of the world. We have developed world-class expertise in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, semiconductors, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and logistics. All the topics we talked about are topics of cooperation and growth with each other," he added.
Elaborating further on the shared vision and complementary strengths driving the bilateral partnership, Prime Minister De Wever stated, "India brings extraordinary scale, talent, and ambition. Belgium can bring technology, specialisation, experience, and access to Europe. And this is why we are here. But my purpose here is broader than just trade and commerce. We want to take the relationship between Belgium and India to another level, economically, politically, but also strategically. We live in a more fragmented and uncertain world. We talked about this a lot. Prosperity and security increasingly go hand in hand, and our relationship has already deep roots. Trade between India and Belgium goes back centuries. But more importantly, our connection goes beyond trade. There is also a shared history between our countries, a history that I want to honour today."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Belgian counterpart, Bart De Wever, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday, marking a landmark diplomatic milestone as the first visit by a Belgian premier to India in twenty years.
During the meeting, both leaders engaged in extensive discussions covering the entire scope of bilateral relations alongside pressing regional and global matters of mutual concern.
Earlier in the day, the visiting dignitary honoured Mahatma Gandhi by paying floral tributes at Rajghat in the national capital.
Highlighting the significance of the gesture, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal observed that the solemn homage mirrored the foundational principles connecting the two countries.
In a post shared on social media platform X, Jaiswal stated, "Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Bart De Wever of Belgium paid floral tributes at Rajghat in New Delhi today, honouring Mahatma Gandhi and his enduring message of peace, non-violence and human dignity. The solemn tribute reflected the shared values that underpin the close friendship between India and Belgium. The life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi continue to inspire the world."
Prime Minister De Wever arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a three-day official visit to the country, marking his inaugural visit to India since taking office in February of the previous year.
The high-profile delegation accompanying the premier includes Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken, further underscoring the strategic weight of the diplomatic mission and building upon the groundwork laid by the Belgian Economic Mission headed by Princess Astrid in March 2025.
Later in the day, the Belgian leader is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at a business summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, with discussions centred around the ongoing negotiations for the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
Following the conclusion of his official engagements in the capital, Prime Minister De Wever will depart for Mumbai on Friday to interact with key commercial stakeholders representing the logistics, maritime ports, and diamond sectors.
Outlining the broader objectives of the diplomatic visit, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in an official release, "The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the India-Belgium partnership and advance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, renewable energy, connectivity and people-to-people ties, as well as to further deepen India-EU and India-Europe engagement." (ANI)
"India has changed enormously": Belgian PM Bart De Wever hails country as economic and technological powerhouse
