India and Belgium on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation in defence, semiconductors and intelligence sharing, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Belgian counterpart Bart De Wever in New Delhi. De Wever, who is on a three-day official visit to India, arrived in the national capital on Wednesday.

After a bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House, PM Modi said, “India and Belgium both believe in the rule of law, dialogue, and diplomacy. Be it Ukraine or West Asia, we support all efforts for the early end of conflicts and for peace. And to eradicate every form of terrorism from its roots is our shared commitment.”

He also referenced the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers. “Today, the world is passing through a phase of great upheaval. In many parts of the world, situations of conflict persist. Food, fuel or supply chains — uncertainty is affecting every sector,” said PM Modi while highlighting that India’s economy has maintained its momentum even in a challenging environment.

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“In the last quarter, we have recorded a growth of 7.8 per cent. Today, India’s growth story is becoming a source of confidence and new opportunities for the world,” he said.

“Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Belgium, and I am very pleased that our partnership has made remarkable progress over the past decade. Today, the scope of our cooperation has expanded beyond traditional sectors to reach strategic areas such as defence and clean energy,” he said.

“We are working together on modern defence equipment like the Zorawar tank. In Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, we are developing one of the world’s largest green ammonia projects,” he said.

PM Modi stated that a clean energy future and a reliable supply chain are the shared priorities of the two countries. “The MoU signed today on renewable energy will give new momentum to our sustainability cooperation. In critical minerals, we have decided to increase cooperation in processing and recycling,” he added.

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“In semiconductors, Belgium’s expertise and India’s scale are complementary to each other. In this direction, we will work together to connect Belgium’s IMEC Institute with India’s semiconductor ecosystem,” he said.

PM Modi highlighted that the roots of India-Belgium relations are deeply embedded in history. “The courage and sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers in Belgium during the First World War form an important part of our shared memory,” Modi said.

This is De Wever’s first visit to India since taking office in February 2025. It is also the first visit by a Belgian Prime Minister to India in two decades, marking a significant new phase in India-Belgium relations.

The visit builds on the Belgian Economic Mission led by Princess Astrid in March 2025 (around 40 MoUs signed) and the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue in July 2026, providing an opportunity to translate the recent momentum into concrete outcomes and take the relationship from established economic cooperation towards a broader strategic partnership.

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Prime Minister Bart De Wever will also visit Mumbai on September 4, highlighting the strong economic foundations of the partnership. He is scheduled to visit the Bharat Diamond Bourse, a massive diamond exchange located in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), underscoring the significance of the diamond trade in India-Belgium relations and opportunities for further cooperation in the sector.

De Wever is accompanied by Theo Francken, Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade, along with a delegation of defence industries. The two sides reviewed and signed pacts on defence industrial cooperation, which will bring Belgian technology to India.