INDIA and Belgium on Thursday vowed to expand cooperation in trade, defence, critical minerals, clean energy and technologies following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s wide-ranging talks with his Belgian counterpart Bart De Wever. In his media statement, Modi highlighted India’s 7.8 per cent economic growth in the last quarter and framed the country’s rise as a source of confidence and new opportunities for the world. The Belgian Prime Minister described the conclusion of the India-European Union free trade pact as a major milestone and said New Delhi and Brussels are building a relationship that is broad and more strategic than ever before. “Today, the world is going through a period of great upheaval. Conflicts continue to persist in many parts of the world. Whether it is food, fuel, or supply chains, every sector is being impacted by uncertainty,” Modi said. “In this challenging environment, India’s economy has maintained its momentum. We recorded 7.8 per cent growth in the last quarter. Today, India’s growth story is becoming a source of confidence and new opportunities for the world,” he added.

 

Modi described the defence and security cooperation between the two countries as a “key pillar” of the overall relationship. “Today, we agreed to enhance military exchanges and training cooperation between the two countries. The agreements between our Governments and defence industries will open up new opportunities for defence codevelopment and co-production,” he said. “We will also further strengthen intelligence sharing and cooperation between our agencies in combating crime,” Modi noted. The Prime Minister said people-to-people ties between the two nations are the “greatest strength” of the engagement, adding both sides agreed to strengthen connections between start-ups and to enhance capacity building in the maritime sector. “We will also strengthen university and research cooperation. And, to facilitate talent mobility, we will soon conclude a ‘Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement’,” he said. Modi once again pitched for resolving the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia through dialogue and diplomacy.