India, Belgium Sign Defence Pacts to Boost Industrial Cooperation

The high-level discussions focused on deepening bilateral engagement, with both nations signing multiple pacts to bolster industrial collaboration.

Taking to social media to share details of the interaction, Singh said he had a "very productive meeting" with Belgium's Defence and Trade Minister Theo Francken.

Singh said the two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of defence relations and defence industrial cooperation between India and Belgium.

"Multiple MoUs and contracts under the Defence Industrial Cooperation were also signed, towards leveraging Belgian technology together with Indian skill and scale," Singh said.

Building upon these initial exchanges, Singh on Thursday called for greater cooperation between India and Belgium, saying the two countries have the potential to further expand their partnership amid a period of "great geopolitical and economic turmoil" globally.

Singh made the remarks during the India-Belgium Ministers' Meeting in the national capital, where he highlighted the longstanding partnership between the two countries based on mutual respect, democratic values and a shared commitment to a rules-based global order.

Belgian Minister Theo Francken led the visiting delegation.

"The world is witnessing a time of great geopolitical and economic turmoil. Most of it is not our doing, but we have to handle the challenges. In such situations, meeting a friend and partner like you provides a useful opportunity to exchange views and perspectives," Singh said.

He said the recently held India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue had provided a framework for taking the bilateral partnership forward, including in the areas of defence and security.

Singh noted that there was significant potential to further expand cooperation between the two countries, particularly by strengthening engagement between their industries.

"We welcome greater cooperation with Belgian and Indian defence companies," he said, expressing optimism that the discussions would provide strategic direction to bilateral engagements.

The latest discussions come amid a rapidly evolving global geopolitical and economic landscape, set against the backdrop of the conflict in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Singh said the meeting with his Belgian counterpart offered an opportunity to exchange views on emerging challenges and chart the future course of bilateral cooperation.

The Belgian Minister is in India along with Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who is on an official visit to the country from September 2 to 4.

Prime Minister De Wever is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.

The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the India-Belgium partnership and advance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including defence and security, along with further deepening India-EU and India-Europe engagement.