The trade agenda focuses on diversifying critical value chains, opening new markets, strengthening economic security and building resilient supply chains. The statement also highlights opportunities in logistics, ports, advanced materials, manufacturing, chemicals and sustainable industries, all relevant to companies managing India-Europe sourcing and trade flows.
India and Belgium aim to double bilateral trade in five years and support timely implementation of the concluded India-EU FTA.
Both nations prioritise diversified value chains, new markets, economic security and resilient supply chains for logistics, manufacturing and sustainable industries.
Next steps include investment protection and geographical indication talks, relevant to India-Europe sourcing teams.
De Wever is visiting India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is accompanied by Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Theo Francken, along with a high-level delegation of officials and business leaders. It is De Wever’s first visit to India since taking office in February 2025.
During the visit, De Wever held bilateral talks with Modi in restricted and delegation-level formats. The two leaders welcomed the successful conclusion of negotiations for the India-EU FTA during the India-EU Summit on January 27, 2026. They also called for the early conclusion of negotiations on the EU-India Investment Protection Agreement and the Agreement on Geographical Indications, with the aim of strengthening economic ties between India and the European Union.
They described the FTA as a historic milestone in the strategic partnership and called for its timely implementation to realise the potential for trade and investment collaboration by diversifying critical value chains and opening new markets, a statement from the office of the Indian Prime Minister said.
The leaders also welcomed progress under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, including its Ministerial Meeting held in Brussels in July 2026. They reaffirmed cooperation between India, Belgium and the European Union on trade, technology, economic security and resilient supply chains, at a time when trade and technologies are becoming increasingly intertwined.
Belgium, the 24th biggest economy in the world, and India, with an ambition to become a $10 trillion economy in the coming years, recognised strong complementarities between their economies. Both leaders welcomed the steady expansion and growing diversification of bilateral trade and said cooperation would be deepened across sectors of shared interest.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)
