Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has begun a three day visit to India, marking his first official trip to the country since taking office early last year. The visit centers on talks in New Delhi, where De Wever is set to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss deeper cooperation across trade, defense, and technology. Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken is also part of the traveling delegation, underscoring the security dimension of the trip.
The two leaders are expected to hold detailed talks covering the full range of bilateral relations, along with wider regional and global issues of shared interest. Officials from both countries say the visit aims to strengthen trade and investment ties, expand cooperation on renewable energy and technology, and deepen connections between India and the broader European Union. Belgium has positioned itself as a strong supporter of closer India Europe engagement, building on groundwork laid by earlier diplomatic exchanges.
As part of his schedule, De Wever will deliver a keynote address at a major business event organized by a leading Indian industry group, focusing on the ongoing negotiations around a free trade agreement between India and the European Union. Belgian officials view the trip as an opportunity to advocate directly for stronger commercial ties, particularly as European businesses look to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on any single trading partner.
After his engagements in the Indian capital, De Wever will travel to Mumbai, where he plans to meet with representatives from the diamond, ports, and logistics industries. Belgium has long standing commercial ties to India’s diamond trade, with the city of Antwerp serving as one of the world’s major centers for diamond cutting and trading. Officials say the Mumbai leg of the trip will focus on reinforcing those established commercial relationships while exploring new areas for cooperation.
The visit follows a meeting last month between the foreign ministers of both countries in Brussels, where officials reviewed cooperation across political, economic, investment, and pharmaceutical sectors, along with broader discussions on clean energy, defense, and global developments including tensions in the Middle East. That earlier meeting helped set the stage for this week’s higher level visit between the two prime ministers.
Belgium has also expressed support for India’s bid to secure a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, a position that reflects growing alignment between the two countries on questions of global governance reform. Indian officials have welcomed this backing as part of a broader push to build support among European nations for a larger role on the world stage.
Trade and investment officials on both sides say they hope the visit will lead to concrete outcomes, including new agreements or partnerships in sectors like renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital technology. Belgian companies have shown growing interest in India’s expanding economy, while Indian firms have looked to Belgium as a gateway into wider European markets given its central location and strong logistics infrastructure.
As De Wever wraps up his engagements this week, officials from both governments say they expect the visit to lay the groundwork for more frequent high level exchanges in the years ahead. With India’s economy continuing to grow rapidly and Europe looking to strengthen ties beyond its traditional partners, this first visit by De Wever may mark the beginning of a more active phase in the relationship between the two countries.
