New Delhi [India], September 4 (ANI): India and Belgium will appoint Defence Attachés in their respective capitals in the coming months as the two countries look to deepen defence cooperation, Belgian Defence Minister and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken said.
Speaking to reporters on India-Belgium defence cooperation on Thursday here, Francken said the two countries had moved towards concrete projects and signed eight contracts aimed at strengthening co-production of defence equipment and enhancing the protection of their citizens.
"Together with India, we are on concrete deeds and concrete projects. We signed eight contracts to work together on better co-production of defence equipment and to better protect Indian and Belgian citizens better in these difficult times," Francken said.
He said the two countries would work together on defence matters at a structural level, following his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the national capital, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Brussels before the end of the year.
"We will work together on defence matters at a structural level. I saw the Defence Minister this morning, and our Prime Ministers also met. We will work together. We will be putting a Defence Attaché in New Delhi, and there will be a Defence Attaché from India in Brussels in the coming months. Your Prime Minister will come to Brussels before the end of the year," Francken added.
The remarks came after Rajnath Singh held extensive talks with his Belgian counterpart in New Delhi on Thursday, with the discussions focusing on strengthening bilateral defence relations and expanding defence industrial cooperation.
Singh, in a post on X following the meeting, said the two sides reviewed the "entire spectrum of Defence relations and Defence Industrial Cooperation between India and Belgium."
"Had a very productive meeting with the Defence and Trade Minister of Belgium, Mr @FranckenTheo in New Delhi today. We reviewed the entire spectrum of Defence relations and Defence Industrial Cooperation between India and Belgium. Multiple MoUs and contracts under the Defence Industrial Cooperation were also signed, towards leveraging Belgian technology together with Indian skill and scale," the post read.
The Belgian Minister is currently on an official visit to the country, accompanying Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who earlier in the day also held talks with PM Modi.
Francken also stressed the need for greater cooperation between India and Belgium in emerging technologies, particularly semiconductors, with a focus on the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec), a Belgium-based international research and development organisation specialising in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, headquartered in Leuven.
"I think that we need to work together on semiconductors as well, also on IMEC for example, where India already has its place. I think we will keep working together with IMEC, which is the biggest R&D institute on semiconductors in the world. It is situated in Belgium," he said.
On the broader security environment, Francken said closer defence cooperation was necessary in view of the growing threats facing Europe.
"There is no other solution than to work together. We need to reinforce our armed forces. The threats from Russia and Europe are really high, and we cannot have that," the Belgian Defence Minister said.
The latest engagements underline the growing focus on defence industrial cooperation between India and Belgium, with both sides looking to combine Belgian technology with Indian manufacturing capabilities and scale. (ANI)
New Delhi, Brussels to appoint Defence Attachés in coming months: Defence Minister Francken; says PM Modi to visit Belgium by year-end
