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India-Belgium Agree on Defence, Intelligence, Trade and Tech Cooperation
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever visits India, and the talks provide for strengthened cooperation in defence, intelligence-sharing, trade, semiconductors, fintech, and renewable energy. A Letter of Intent authorises a framework for structured defence cooperation, and the visit comprises the first by a Belgian Prime Minister in two decades.
India-Belgium Recent Agreements:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Defence cooperation | The Letter of Intent authorises a framework for structured defence cooperation. |
| Defence framework components | The framework comprises military training and exchanges, research and development, joint exercises and seminars, maritime security, and defence industrial cooperation. |
| Security and intelligence | The bilateral engagement provides for strengthened intelligence-sharing and cooperation between security agencies to combat crime. |
| Industry participation | The discussions comprise participation by around 15 Belgian defence companies with Indian defence industry representatives. |
| Defence industrial opportunity areas | The discussions comprise opportunities in drones, rockets, ammunition, mine-countermeasure systems, tanks, radar, electro-optical sensors, and counter-drone systems. |
| Ammunition collaboration | New Lachaussée and Tembo Classic Engineering provide for an ammunition production line with an annual capacity of about 100 million rounds under a project valued at €50 million. |
| Mine-countermeasure autonomous systems | Exail Belgium and Larsen & Toubro provide for cooperation on autonomous systems for mine-countermeasure vessels, and the cooperation applies to 12 vessels with potential expansion to 59. |
| Other defence collaborations | The industrial collaborations comprise 70 mm rocket assembly, weapons and counter-drone systems, electro-optical systems for Arjun tanks, the Zorawar light tank, air-defence software, and marine engines. |
| Investment facilitation | India provides for an Investment Fast-Track Mechanism for Belgian companies. |
| Business engagement platform | The bilateral engagement provides for making the India-Belgium Business Forum a regular platform. |
| Fintech and regulatory coordination | The bilateral engagement provides for strengthened coordination among financial, fintech, and regulatory institutions. |
| Trade and FDI figures | Bilateral trade comprises US$13.01 billion in 2025-26, and Belgian FDI inflows into India comprise approximately US$4.2 billion between April 2000 and December 2025. |
| Trade objective | The bilateral engagement provides for an objective of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years. |
| Semiconductors | The bilateral engagement provides for deepened cooperation in semiconductors for resilient global supply chains. |
| Renewable energy | The bilateral engagement provides for work towards a renewable energy pact covering clean-energy technologies and the energy transition. |
| Maritime security focus areas | The maritime security engagement comprises mine countermeasures, autonomous maritime systems, underwater robotics, advanced sensors, and protection of critical infrastructure such as ports, pipelines, and subsea data cables. |
| Institutional mechanism | The India-Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union Joint Commission is established in 1997 as an institutional mechanism for economic cooperation. |
| Diamond trade hub | Belgium comprises a major global centre for diamond trading, and Antwerp serves as a key hub. |
| Global and regional issues | Discussions on Ukraine and West Asia provide for emphasis on dialogue and diplomacy, and respect for the principles of the UN Charter and international law, along with safe and unimpeded maritime shipping. |