New Delhi: Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Thursday hailed India as a major global powerhouse during his landmark official visit to New Delhi, stressing the need to deepen bilateral cooperation across economic and strategic areas.
De Wever described India as the largest democracy and the fastest-growing major economy, calling New Delhi an important partner for Belgium.
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi during joint remarks, De Wever said, “It is particularly meaningful to be here as the first Belgian Prime Minister in 20 years, and that’s a very long time. It’s too long. In those 20 years, India has changed enormously, and certainly during the period of the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Today, you are not only the world’s largest democracy, but also the fastest-growing major economy. It has become an economic and technological powerhouse and a major geopolitical factor whose voice carries way beyond this region.”
“For Belgium, this makes India an increasingly important partner, and I believe my country also has a lot to offer to India in return. We are a little bit smaller in scale. But we are one of the world’s most open and internationally connected economies. We have built our prosperity on trade and access to global markets. With 11 million inhabitants and a country 100 times smaller than India, we have grown into the 25th economy of the world. We have developed world-class expertise in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, semiconductors, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and logistics. All the topics we talked about are topics of cooperation and growth with each other,” he added.
Elaborating on the complementary strengths and shared vision driving the partnership, De Wever said, “India brings extraordinary scale, talent, and ambition. Belgium can bring technology, specialisation, experience, and access to Europe. And this is why we are here. But my purpose here is broader than just trade and commerce. We want to take the relationship between Belgium and India to another level, economically, politically, but also strategically. We live in a more fragmented and uncertain world. We talked about this a lot. Prosperity and security increasingly go hand in hand, and our relationship has already deep roots. Trade between India and Belgium goes back centuries. But more importantly, our connection goes beyond trade. There is also a shared history between our countries, a history that I want to honour today.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Belgian counterpart Bart De Wever at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday. The meeting marked the first visit by a Belgian premier to India in twenty years.
During the meeting, both leaders held extensive discussions on the entire scope of bilateral relations as well as regional and global matters of mutual concern.
Earlier in the day, De Wever paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in the national capital.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the solemn homage reflected the foundational principles connecting the two countries.
In a post shared on social media platform X, Jaiswal stated, “Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Bart De Wever of Belgium paid floral tributes at Rajghat in New Delhi today, honouring Mahatma Gandhi and his enduring message of peace, non-violence and human dignity. The solemn tribute reflected the shared values that underpin the close friendship between India and Belgium. The life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi continue to inspire the world.”
Prime Minister De Wever arrived in New Delhi on Thursday for a three-day official visit to India, marking his first visit to the country since taking office in February of the previous year.
The Belgian premier is accompanied by a high-profile delegation that includes Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken. The visit builds upon the groundwork laid by the Belgian Economic Mission headed by Princess Astrid in March 2025.
Later in the day, De Wever is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at a business summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. Discussions at the summit will focus on the ongoing negotiations for the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
After completing his official engagements in New Delhi, De Wever will travel to Mumbai on Friday to interact with key commercial stakeholders from the logistics, maritime ports and diamond sectors.
Outlining the broader objectives of the visit, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in an official release, “The visit will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the India-Belgium partnership and advance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, renewable energy, connectivity and people-to-people ties, as well as to further deepen India-EU and India-Europe engagement.”
