New Delhi, Sep 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described defence and security cooperation as a “key pillar” of India-Belgium relations, announcing that the two countries have agreed to expand military exchanges, training programmes and collaboration between their defence industries.
Addressing a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever following their bilateral meeting in New Delhi, Modi said the relationship had expanded significantly over the past decade, moving beyond traditional areas of cooperation into strategic sectors including defence, clean energy, critical minerals and advanced technology.
“Defence and security cooperation is a key pillar of our relationship. Today, we have agreed to enhance military exchanges and training cooperation between the two countries,” Modi said. He added that agreements reached between the two governments and their defence industries would create new opportunities for joint development and co-production of defence equipment.
The Prime Minister also said India and Belgium would strengthen intelligence sharing and cooperation between their respective agencies to combat crime and address emerging security challenges.
Highlighting the broader foundations of bilateral relations, Modi said democratic values, a market-oriented economy and strong people-to-people connections had made India and Belgium “natural partners”. He also recalled the historical association between the two countries, particularly the contribution and sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers who fought in Belgium during the First World War.
Modi said the strategic partnership was now producing cooperation in advanced defence and industrial projects. He pointed to collaboration on modern military equipment, including the Zorawar tank, while also highlighting energy cooperation, including the development of one of the world’s largest green ammonia projects at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.
The Prime Minister also underlined India’s economic resilience amid an uncertain global environment. He noted that conflicts in different parts of the world had disrupted food, fuel and supply chains and created uncertainty across sectors.
“Even in this challenging environment, India’s economy has maintained its momentum. India recorded 7.8 per cent growth in the last quarter,” Modi said, adding that the country’s economic performance was increasingly becoming a source of confidence and new opportunities for the global economy.
Economic and trade cooperation formed another major component of the discussions. Referring to the Free Trade Agreement signed between India and the European Union in January, Modi said the agreement could contribute to global stability, economic growth and shared prosperity while creating fresh opportunities for India-Belgium commercial ties.
To convert these opportunities into greater investment and trade, India has established an “Investment Fast-Track Mechanism” for Belgian companies operating in India. The two countries have also decided to make the India-Belgium Business Forum a regular institutional mechanism.
Modi said the two sides would further strengthen coordination between financial, fintech and regulatory institutions. These initiatives, he said, would support the shared objective of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years.
Clean energy and strategic supply chains also featured prominently in the bilateral agenda. Modi said an MoU signed between India and Belgium on renewable energy would provide fresh momentum to cooperation in sustainability and clean-energy development.
“A clean energy future and reliable supply chains are our shared priorities,” Modi said, adding that the two countries had also agreed to enhance cooperation in the processing and recycling of critical minerals.
Critical minerals have emerged as an important component of global economic and strategic competition because of their role in sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, batteries, electronics and advanced defence technologies. Greater cooperation between India and Belgium in processing and recycling could therefore strengthen supply-chain resilience.
Semiconductor cooperation is another area where the two countries see complementary strengths. Modi said Belgium’s expertise in semiconductor research and India’s manufacturing scale could create significant opportunities for collaboration.
In this context, India and Belgium will work towards integrating Belgium’s Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec) with India’s growing semiconductor ecosystem. Such cooperation could help strengthen research, innovation and technology development in a sector that is increasingly central to global industrial competitiveness.
The wide-ranging outcomes of the meeting reflect the expanding strategic character of India-Belgium relations. From defence and intelligence cooperation to trade, renewable energy, critical minerals and semiconductors, both countries are seeking to build stronger institutional and industrial partnerships.
The latest agreements are expected to provide a framework for deeper engagement between governments and businesses, while creating new opportunities for investment, technology cooperation and joint industrial development in the years ahead.
