India-Belgium Ties Get Major Defence Push, Trade Target Doubled in 5 Years

India and Belgium are set to significantly expand strategic and economic cooperation, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever agreeing to strengthen ties in defence, advanced technology, law enforcement, semiconductors and clean energy.

During De Wever’s first visit to India as Belgian prime minister—and the first such visit from Belgium in two decades—the two leaders set an ambitious target to double bilateral trade within five years. Two-way trade currently stands at around $13 billion, with diamonds accounting for nearly 30% of the total.

Defence emerged as a key pillar of the partnership. India and Belgium finalised a Letter of Intent on Defence Cooperation, establishing a framework for military exchanges, training, research, co-development and co-production. India will also post a resident defence attaché at its embassy in Brussels.

The defence push was reinforced by eight industry agreements covering ammunition, rockets, naval mine-countermeasure systems, drones, electro-optical systems, weapons and defence software.

Belgian firm New Lachaussée will supply India’s Tembo Classic Engineering with an ammunition production line capable of producing 100 million rounds annually, in a project valued at €50 million. Thales Belgium and Kalyani Strategic Systems will jointly assemble 70mm rockets in India, with the first fully India-produced rocket expected in early 2027.

Belgium’s FN Herstal is also exploring a joint production centre with Kalyani for weapons, integrated weapon systems and counter-drone technology.

Semiconductors are another major focus. Modi said India’s manufacturing scale and Belgium’s expertise could complement each other, with both sides planning closer links between Belgium’s IMEC and India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

The countries also signed an agreement between India’s Central Bureau of Investigation and Belgium’s Federal Police to strengthen cooperation against transnational organised crime and cybercrime, including information-sharing and tracing fugitives.

The two leaders discussed Ukraine and West Asia, backing dialogue and diplomacy for peaceful solutions. Belgium also reiterated its solidarity with India in combating terrorism and condemned the 2025 Pahalgam attack.

De Wever said he expects to welcome Modi in Brussels in December for the signing of the India-EU free trade agreement, potentially marking another major step in the expanding partnership.