India and Belgium are strengthening economic and defence ties following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on September 3. The two sides reached ten agreements covering trade, defence and technology, and set a goal of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Theo Francken, his counterpart, separately, where most of these agreements were finalised, including a pact covering joint weapons production. De Wever arrived with a delegation of 15 Belgian defence companies. The deals include local assembly of Belgian-made 70mm rockets and an ammunition production line capable of around 100 million rounds a year, along with naval mine-countermeasure systems and counter-drone technology.
Semiconductors were another major focus of the talks. Modi said Belgium’s expertise in the field complements India’s industrial scale. The two countries are expected to connect Belgium’s IMEC research institute with India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem.
India and Belgium also signed a memorandum of understanding on renewable energy. They agreed to work more closely on the processing and recycling of critical minerals, and their agencies will share intelligence. Belgium separately assured India that it would not extend defence equipment or technology cooperation to Pakistan.
The visit follows the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue in Brussels in July 2026. It also marks the first visit to India by a Belgian prime minister in two decades. De Wever visited Rajghat before travelling to Mumbai, where he is due to meet stakeholders from the diamond, ports and logistics sectors.
