<p data-path-to-node="5" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-170" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-299" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> In the first official visit by a Belgian Prime Minister to India in nearly two decades, </span><b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="100" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</b><span class="citation-299" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> and Belgian Prime Minister </span><b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="156" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Bart De Wever</b><span class="citation-299" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> concluded wide-ranging bilateral negotiations, establishing a joint commitment to </span><b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="252" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">double two-way trade over the next five years</b><span class="citation-299 citation-end-299" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> while expanding strategic collaboration across defence co-production, maritime logistics, clean energy, semiconductors, and critical minerals.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="3" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2273216988="" _nghost-ng-c2722076574="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-171" style="font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-298" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Annual merchandise and commercial trade between the two democracies reached </span><b data-path-to-node="6" data-index-in-node="76" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">$13.01 billion in FY26</b><span class="citation-298 citation-end-298" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="4" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-297" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Under the renewed roadmap, both governments introduced an </span><b data-path-to-node="6" data-index-in-node="158" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Investment Fast-Track Mechanism</b><span class="citation-297 citation-end-297" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> to accelerate Belgian direct capital deployment into India's expanding industrial and logistics networks, alongside the formal appointment of a dedicated resident Indian Defence Attaché in Brussels.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="5" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2273216988="" _nghost-ng-c2722076574="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><h3 data-path-to-node="8" style="font-family: "Google Sans", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Key Operational Highlights & Strategic Takeaways</h3><ul data-path-to-node="9" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: "Google Sans Text", sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,0,0" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-172" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Targeting a $26-Billion Trade Corridor:</b> <span class="citation-296 citation-end-296" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">With bilateral trade currently anchored around $13 billion (led heavily by the rough and polished gem corridor connecting Surat and the Antwerp Diamond District), both leaders agreed to diversify trade into high-technology hardware, green energy systems, pharmaceuticals, and industrial manufacturing to double total trade volumes within five years.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="6" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2273216988="" _nghost-ng-c2722076574="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,1,0" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-173" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Port-Led Logistics and Multimodal Synergy:</b> <span class="citation-295 citation-end-295" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Leveraging Belgium’s role as Europe’s premier multimodal and port gateway (anchored by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges), the agreement prioritizes bilateral maritime capacity-building.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="7" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-294 citation-end-294" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The initiative bridges European logistics networks with India's expanding coastal shipping, major port deep-draft modernizations, and dedicated freight corridors.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="8" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2273216988="" _nghost-ng-c2722076574="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,2,0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Protecting Global Maritime Sea Lanes:</b> Addressing ongoing disruptions across West Asia and Eurasian corridors, the joint declaration urged de-escalation of conflicts, reaffirming shared commitments to freedom of navigation, unimpeded international trade transit, and the protection of commercial merchant shipping and seafarers.</p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,3,0" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-174" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,3,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Defence Co-Development and Critical Technology:</b> <span class="citation-293 citation-end-293" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The two nations signed government-level defence cooperation agreements alongside 10 commercial defence industry partnerships, unlocking joint ventures in rocket systems, autonomous maritime platforms, mine countermeasures, and subsea infrastructure security.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="9" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2273216988="" _nghost-ng-c2722076574="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,4,0" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-175" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,4,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Clean Energy and Critical Mineral Resiliency:</b> <span class="citation-292 citation-end-292" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The bilateral agenda concluded an MoU on Renewable Energy, focusing on green hydrogen corridors, offshore wind engineering, and joint technical frameworks for processing and recycling critical minerals to de-risk high-tech supply chains.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="10" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c2273216988="" _nghost-ng-c2722076574="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="9,5,0" id="p-rc_dcb1fcf16637c76d-176" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="9,5,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Aligning with the India–EU FTA:</b> <span class="citation-291" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Both leaders underscored the timely implementation of the concluded </span><b data-path-to-node="9,5,0" data-index-in-node="100" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">India–European Union Free Trade Agreement</b><span class="citation-291 citation-end-291" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">, noting that tariff rationalization will unlock unprecedented cross-border cargo volumes and reduce single-market sourcing dependencies.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2018715059="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c2018715059="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="11" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c2273216988="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></sources-carousel-inline></p></li></ul>
India, Belgium Agree to Deepen Defence, Trade, and Maritime Cooperation
In the first official visit by a Belgian Prime Minister to India in nearly two decades, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever concluded wide-ranging bilateral negotiations, establishing a joint commitment to double two-way trade over the next five years while expanding strategic collaboration across defence co-production, maritime logistics, clean energy, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
