India and Belgium Deepen Ties in Trade, Defence and Technology
What Happened
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever agreed to work towards doubling bilateral trade within the next five years. The two countries plan to deepen cooperation beyond their traditional diamond trade into areas such as defence, clean energy, critical minerals, semiconductors, fintech and investment. Bilateral trade stood at about $13 billion in 2025-26.
Key Takeaways
The goal signals a shift toward a broader strategic partnership, with stronger economic ties expected to create new opportunities in technology, manufacturing, renewable energy and defence cooperation. If achieved, annual trade could exceed $26 billion.