Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday described India as a major economic, technological and geopolitical force, saying the country’s global influence has expanded significantly over the past two decades.
Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi following their bilateral meeting, De Wever said India’s transformation had made it an increasingly important partner for Belgium.
The Belgian Prime Minister, who is on his first visit to India, said the visit was particularly significant as it was the first by a Belgian Prime Minister to the country in 20 years.
He thanked Prime Minister Modi for the warm welcome and said India had changed enormously during the past two decades, particularly during Modi’s tenure.
De Wever said India was not only the world’s largest democracy but had also emerged as a fast-growing major economy, an economic and technological powerhouse and an important geopolitical force whose influence extended well beyond the region.
He said Belgium, despite being smaller in scale, was among the world’s most open and internationally connected economies and had built its prosperity on trade and access to global markets.
Focus on expanded security cooperation
The Belgian Prime Minister also expressed condolences to the families of Indian nationals who lost their lives in the devastating flash floods in Nepal on August 26.
He said an expanded concept of security was an important pillar of his discussions with Prime Minister Modi.
Belgian Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken was part of the visiting delegation as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation between their armed forces and defence industries.
De Wever said the exchange of a letter of intent would provide a new framework for cooperation, covering government-to-government engagement, military exchanges, research and innovation, as well as co-development and potential co-production.
EU-India FTA a major milestone
The Belgian Prime Minister also welcomed the finalisation of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, describing it as a major milestone in relations between India and Europe.
He said Belgium would work to ensure that the agreement translated into concrete outcomes for businesses and citizens.
According to De Wever, a balanced free trade agreement would improve market access, encourage investment and provide companies with predictable rules for long-term investment.
He said India and Europe had chosen to bring their economies closer together at a time when economic fragmentation was increasing in other parts of the world.
De Wever said the formal signing of the agreement in Belgium would be an appropriate way to conclude 2026.
He also expressed anticipation over Prime Minister Modi’s proposed visit to Brussels in December, saying it would be an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral ties and formally sign the EU-India FTA.
‘Best of relationship is yet to come’
Highlighting the historical links between India and Belgium, De Wever said the two countries shared a history spanning centuries and had now demonstrated that they also shared a common future.
He said his visit to New Delhi was driven by the belief that the best phase of India-Belgium relations was yet to come and added that his discussions with Prime Minister Modi had strengthened that conviction.
-ANI
