Jaishankar, Belgian Counterpart Strengthen India-Belgium Ties with Focus on Defence and Mobility

BRUSSELS, July 15: India and Belgium have taken a significant step toward strengthening their long-standing partnership by launching the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue in Brussels. The high-level engagement, led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, focused on broadening cooperation across defence, clean energy, trade, innovation, mobility, pharmaceuticals and emerging technologies.

The dialogue reflects the growing importance of India-Belgium relations within the wider framework of India’s engagement with the European Union. As global geopolitical tensions reshape international trade and supply chains, both nations reaffirmed their commitment to creating resilient partnerships based on economic security, technological collaboration and sustainable development.

The discussions marked Jaishankar’s two day visit to Belgium, during which he is also scheduled to hold meetings with senior European Union leaders and participate in business and innovation forums.

Strategic Dialogue Strengthens Political and Economic Cooperation

Speaking at the opening session, Jaishankar said India and Belgium share a mature partnership that now has the potential to evolve into an even stronger strategic relationship.

He noted that bilateral cooperation has steadily expanded over the years and highlighted opportunities to deepen engagement in several future-oriented sectors.

Among the priority areas identified were:

Defence and security cooperation
Clean and renewable energy
Digital technologies
Pharmaceutical manufacturing
Life sciences
Chemical industries
Advanced logistics
Industrial manufacturing
Maritime infrastructure
Semiconductor ecosystems

According to Jaishankar, these sectors will play a vital role in building stronger economic resilience while supporting sustainable growth for both countries.

Global Challenges Require Reliable Partnerships

Addressing current global developments, Jaishankar observed that the international economy continues to experience structural changes due to geopolitical instability and disruptions in global supply chains.

He pointed out that excessive dependence on limited production centres has exposed vulnerabilities affecting manufacturing, logistics and market access across the world.

The minister stressed that countries now need to focus on:

Diversifying supply chains
Reducing strategic vulnerabilities
Building trusted manufacturing partnerships
Improving connectivity networks
Expanding technology collaboration

He also referred to continuing conflicts and regional tensions in West Asia, Ukraine, Africa and the Indo-Pacific, noting that these developments have significant implications for global trade, investment flows and energy security.

India-EU Partnership Becoming Increasingly Strategic

Jaishankar underlined that India’s relationship with the European Union has undergone a major transformation in recent years.

He said discussions surrounding the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement should not be viewed merely as commercial negotiations but as part of a broader strategic partnership that includes economic resilience, innovation and geopolitical cooperation.

The minister emphasised that stronger India-Europe engagement will contribute to stable supply chains, technology partnerships and sustainable economic growth.

Supply Chain Security Receives Major Attention

A substantial portion of the discussions focused on reducing global supply chain risks.

Both sides explored cooperation aimed at ensuring dependable production and transportation networks amid continuing geopolitical uncertainty.

Officials reviewed opportunities in:

Port infrastructure
Maritime logistics
Semiconductor manufacturing
Critical technologies
Green shipping
Industrial diversification

The emphasis was placed on building trusted supply chains capable of supporting long-term economic stability.

Belgium Reaffirms Commitment to Stronger Bilateral Relations

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot described India as one of Belgium’s most important strategic partners.

He noted that bilateral cooperation has expanded considerably through trade, investment, scientific research and people-to-people exchanges.

According to Prevot, last year’s Belgian Economic Mission to India demonstrated strong interest from businesses and institutions on both sides to deepen collaboration across multiple sectors.

He welcomed the establishment of the Strategic Dialogue as an institutional mechanism that will enable regular political consultations and faster implementation of joint initiatives.

Prevot added that Belgium looks forward to strengthening cooperation in innovation, clean energy, defence, research and emerging technologies while maintaining open communication between both governments.

Business Leaders Explore Investment Opportunities

During his visit, Jaishankar participated in the India-EU Business Roundtable, where government representatives and industry leaders discussed expanding commercial partnerships.

The discussions focused on increasing investment opportunities and improving industrial cooperation between India and Europe.

Participants explored opportunities in:

Manufacturing
Advanced technologies
Green industries
Infrastructure development
Digital economy
Sustainable investment

Jaishankar highlighted the growing confidence among European businesses regarding India’s expanding economy and investment environment.

Research and Innovation Partnership Expands

Jaishankar also met European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva.

The meeting explored greater collaboration in scientific research and innovation, particularly in areas supporting sustainable development.

Key subjects included:

Green energy technologies
Startup ecosystems
Innovation hubs
Joint scientific research
Horizon Europe participation
Technology commercialisation

Both sides agreed that research partnerships can generate long-term economic benefits while addressing global environmental challenges.

Connectivity and Green Shipping Discussed

Another important engagement during Jaishankar’s visit was his meeting with European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela.

Their discussions centred on improving regional connectivity and strengthening strategic infrastructure partnerships.

Topics included:

India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
Green shipping initiatives
Sustainable transport infrastructure
Trilateral development partnerships
Cross-border connectivity projects

The leaders also reviewed ways to improve economic integration through resilient transport corridors linking Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Meetings with Senior European Leaders

Apart from the Strategic Dialogue, Jaishankar held separate meetings with several senior European leaders to reinforce India’s engagement with European institutions.

His engagements included discussions with:

European Council President Antonio Costa
European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas
Minister-President of Flanders Matthias Diependaele
Flemish Minister Annick De Ridder

These meetings focused on enhancing political dialogue, regional security cooperation and expanding economic ties between India and European partners.

India and Belgium Look Toward a Future-Oriented Partnership

The inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue marks an important milestone in bilateral diplomacy.

As both countries seek to diversify trade partnerships, strengthen innovation ecosystems and improve supply chain resilience, the dialogue establishes a structured framework for long-term cooperation.

With growing collaboration in defence, clean energy, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, digital technologies and connectivity, India and Belgium are positioning themselves to play a larger role in shaping resilient economic partnerships between Asia and Europe.

The outcomes of the Brussels meetings are expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral relations while reinforcing India’s broader strategic engagement with the European Union.