Princess Astrid of Belgium will be representing King Philippe as part of a large delegation heading on an economic mission to India. Some 330 individuals from the economic, financial, academic and political spheres hope to strengthen Belgium's image as an attractive partner and gateway to the European market.
The King's younger sister will lead the Belgian Economic Mission, taking place from 1 to 8 March, in a bid to improve economic and commercial relations. The trip comes as the Indo-Pacific region becomes increasingly important strategically and follows just after a trip by the College of European Commissioners to India (27 and 28 February). The Princess is due to meet officially with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Also on the trip will be Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister; Theo Francken, Defence Minister and responsible for Foreign Trade; and Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for the Economy, Innovation and Industry.
India is currently the fifth-largest global economy but is growing at such a rate that it is projected to become the third-largest by 2027, overtaking Japan and Germany. The Belgian mission also notes that India has the world's largest population and its middle class is expanding rapidly. It is "among the top five countries for business start-up projects," a press release announcing the trip remarked.
On the itinerary are New Delhi and Mumbai, chosen for their economic and institutional appeal. An increasing number of Belgian companies are focusing on India, both in the more traditional sectors (chemicals, machinery, beverages and food) and in more strategic sectors, including pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, defense and aerospace technology.
Historic ties
There is a long history to Beglo-Indian relations. From the early 18th century, merchant ships from Ostend stopped off on the Indian coast. One month after India's independence in 1947, Belgium established diplomatic relations – one of the first European nations to do so.
Diamonds remain the cornerstone of economic relations, but several other sectors have experienced strong growth in recent years. But this mission will promote Belgian expertise in other areas. Most notably in climate and renewable energy, healthcare and life sciences, (green) construction, transportation and logistics, aerospace and defense, and steel decarbonization.
Besides Modi, meetings will be held with India's Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and the Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh.
