New Delhi, 03 September (H.S.):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India-Belgium relations have expanded beyond traditional areas of engagement to strategic sectors such as defence and clean energy. He said a clean energy future and reliable supply chains are shared priorities for both countries, while asserting that bilateral trade would be doubled over the next five years. The two sides have also agreed to strengthen military and training cooperation and share intelligence between their agencies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday. Following the talks, the two leaders delivered a joint press statement.

Prime Minister Modi said the two countries were working together on advanced defence equipment, including the Zorawar light tank. He said India is also developing one of the world’s largest green ammonia projects in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. He noted that an agreement on renewable energy had been signed between the two countries on Thursday. India and Belgium have also decided to expand cooperation in the processing and recycling of critical minerals.

He said Belgium’s expertise in semiconductors and India’s capabilities in the sector were complementary. In this regard, the two countries would work together to connect Belgium’s IMEC institute with India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

On global issues, the Prime Minister said India and Belgium shared a commitment to a rules-based international order, dialogue and diplomacy. Both countries support efforts for an early end to the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia and reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorism in all its forms.

In his statement, Prime Minister Modi recalled the history of India-Belgium relations and said the courage and sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers during the First World War remained an important part of the two countries’ shared memory.

The Prime Minister said India’s development journey was generating confidence around the world. In this context, he referred to the recently released quarterly growth figures, which showed that India’s GDP had expanded at a rate of 7.5 per cent.

He said the world was currently passing through a period of turbulence, with conflicts continuing in several parts of the world. Uncertainty was increasing across various sectors, including food, fuel and supply chains. Despite this challenging global environment, he said, the Indian economy had maintained its momentum.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar