Brussels | NOVEMBER 4,2025 | SKY LINK TIMES
India-Belgium Strengthen Ties:
India-Belgium reaffirmed their growing strategic partnership during the third Foreign Office Consultations held at the historic Egmont Palace in Brussels. The high-level dialogue brought together Secretary (West) Sibi George from India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Theodora Gentzis, President of Belgium’s Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs.
The discussions marked a significant step forward in bilateral economic, technological, and educational cooperation, following the momentum generated by Belgian Deputy PM Petra De Sutter’s visit to New Delhi and EAM S. Jaishankar’s earlier stopover in Brussels.
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€10 Billion Trade and Expanding Investments
Both sides celebrated the milestone of bilateral trade surpassing €10 billion, a testament to the strengthening commercial relationship. Gentzis revealed that Belgian investments in Indian ports, pharmaceuticals, and diamond sectors have now crossed €4 billion, while Indian IT firms in Antwerp and Ghent employ over 3,000 Europeans.
This economic synergy is expected to further grow as both nations look toward sustainable technology and green energy cooperation.
Future Collaboration: Green Hydrogen, Semiconductors & Defence
The talks identified green hydrogen, semiconductors, and defence cooperation as the next frontiers of engagement. Belgium’s Zeebrugge hydrogen expertise will partner with Gujarat’s clean energy hubs, while IMEC Leuven will host Indian engineers for semiconductor training.
Additionally, joint naval exercises in the Arabian Sea have been scheduled for 2026, reflecting a new dimension of strategic trust between the two nations.
Education Boost: 500 Indian Scholars Headed to Belgium
Education emerged as a bright spot in the dialogue. Both sides finalized 30 new Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to enable 500 Indian STEM students to study at Flemish universities from next autumn—funded through a revived Belgian scholarship program.
This initiative aims to deepen people-to-people ties and enhance research collaboration between Indian and Belgian institutions.
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India–EU FTA & Global Cooperation
The much-anticipated India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) featured prominently in the talks. With EU negotiators currently in New Delhi, both delegations aligned their stances on achieving a “balanced, fair, and mutually beneficial” agreement by spring 2026.
Belgium also pledged to support India’s carbon border adjustment concerns within EU deliberations. Multilateral cooperation on climate finance, UN reforms, and maritime security was also discussed.
Looking Ahead
The joint communiqué concluded with plans for quarterly virtual consultations and a leaders’ summit in 2026. For businesses and students alike, the renewed India-Belgium partnership offers a clear roadmap for growth and innovation across continents.
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