On Sunday 2 March, one of Belgium’s largest ever trade missions departed Brussels. Direction: Delhi. The week-long mission to the fifth largest economy in the world is a marked effort by Brussels to increase diplomatic and trade relations with India, the world’s fastest growing major economy.
The 330-person-strong delegation, composed of Belgian industrialists, diplomats, trade officials, and regional representatives aims to forge new relations on the subcontinent. At its head is Belgian Princess Astrid, who accompanied a delegation of Belgian officials, including Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot, Defence Minister Theo Francken and Flemish Minister-President Matthais Diependaele to a historic meeting with Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Belgium is currently one of India’s largest trade partners in the European Union, particularly in the diamond trade. Antwerp, home to Europe’s largest diamond sorting tables, has long been a source of significant investment from India. In 2023-2024, over €2.1 billion in precious metals and stones left India for Belgium, according to statistics from India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that diamonds remain a “cornerstone of the economic relationship” between the two nations, but growth in trade has been observed across many sectors. Belgium has made over €3.6 billion in FDI into the Indian economy since 2000, according to figures quoted by Belgian and Indian trade officials.
In 2022 bilateral trade between Belgium and India totalled €15.1 billion, with India exporting €8.1 billion in goods to Belgium, and importing €7 billion in goods from Belgium. India is currently Belgium’s second largest importer of goods.
Many major Belgian brands enjoy significant success in the Indian market. Colruyt Group, John Cockerill, Odoo, Proximus and around 160 more Belgian firms now have a presence in the country, especially in the fields of industry, IT, and business solutions.
Belgium’s official economic mission to India aims to further develop trade relations between Belgian and Indian firms. It has identified aerospace, labour cooperation and green energy as new fields for investments between the two nations.
Sunday
Agristo CEO Hannelore Raes, Vice-prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot, Indian Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, Princess Astrid of Belgium, Agristo COO Kristof Wallays, Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele and Agristo Founder Antoon Wallays pictured during a visit to the Agristo plant in New Delhi, during the Belgian economic mission to India, Sunday 02 March 2025. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
After going nose up from Brussels Airport on Saturday 1 March aboard a Lufthansa flight via Frankfurt, the delegation arrived in Delhi early on Sunday morning.
Following an official meeting of select members of the delegation with Hervé Delphin, the EU’s ambassador to India, at the Belgian embassy in New Delhi, the Belgian princess and ministers first visited a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Belgian-Indian potato processing plant run by Belgian company Agristo.
Since 2019, the Belgian company has operated a facility in the city of Bijnor, in Uttar Pradesh, the first of its kind outside of Europe. The groundbreaking ceremony marks a new investment of €80 million into the plant. Currently producing potato flakes, the new investment will establish a new production facility for frozen French fries.
The ceremony, attended by key Indian and Belgian trade officials, also announced the signing of additional investments, with the plant buying Belgian machinery to expand its current capacities. The plant already features a boiler from Belgian company Vyncke and the plant has committed to purchasing two new potato harvesters from West Flemish machine producer AVR.
Thanks to Belgian know-how, the Indian potato operation has tripled its yield per hectare in potatoes. India currently levies a 30% import tax on potato products, which encouraged the Belgian company to produce within India. It now plans to export its products all across the Middle East and Indonesia.
Monday
Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Theo Francken pictured during a ceremony at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, India on Monday 03 March 2025, during the Belgian economic mission to India. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Following a networking event between Indian and Belgian companies attended by key Belgian ministers hosted at the Belgium embassy, a series of events dedicated to cooperation between the Flemish water and waste management sector and Indian partners, as well as investments into female empowerment, new Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken met with his Indian counterpart, Shri Rajnath Singh, to discuss developments in defence cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, the two nations announced that a military attaché would be added to Belgium’s diplomatic presence in New Delhi, in response to China’s increasing military confrontation with India and other partners in the region, as well as increased military spending in Europe. Francken stated that India may play a role in Belgium’s increasing rearmament plans.
Francken visited a monument to the Indian soldiers who gave their lives as part of the British army during the First World War. Approximately 9,000 Indians were killed on Flanders’ fields.
Tuesday
The signing ceremony between Belgian and Indian companies, part of an economic mission to India, Tuesday 04 March 2025, on the third day of the Belgian economic mission to India, Tuesday 04 March 2025. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
On Tuesday, at a morning round table event, Francken announced the intention of both countries to establish two task forces to investigate potential defence industry partnerships and to explore cooperation between their armed forces. Several major Belgian defence sector companies, such as John Cockerill and Thales, are already active in the Indian market.
At the event, John Cockerill Defence announced that it had signed a contract with Indian company Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics to create turrets for India’s Zorawar light tank. The vehicle is designed for combat in high-altitude areas. Thales will provide 70mm rocket systems for Indian helicopters. Other major Belgian defence companies, such as FN Herstal, Safran, and others, also took part in talks with potential Indian government customers.
At a “power lunch” organised by the Federation of Belgian Enterprises and the Confederation of Indian Industries, represented by CEOs of Belgian and Indian companies, numerous contracts were signed.
Among them, the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade signed a memorandum of understanding with the Antwerp and Flanders Port Training Centre (APEC) to boost academic collaboration, research in international trade and port operations. Brussels airport also announced that it was in talks with IndiGo and Air India for the restoration of air connections between the two countries.
Later in the day, Princess Astrid was officially received by Indian Prime Minister Modi, who complimented the Belgian delegation for its impressive size, and recognised Belgium’s significant interest in developing trade relations with India.
The day concluded with an event paying tribute to Belgo-Indian cooperation in the field of astronomy and astrophysics, which the Belgian delegation described as “another priority sector of the mission.
Wednesday
Princess Astrid of Belgium pictured ahead of a visit to Route Mobile Limited, a Proximus affiliate in Mumbai, on day four of the Belgian economic mission to India, Wednesday 05 March 2025. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
The Belgian delegation arrived on Wednesday in India’s largest city, Mumbai. The start of the delegation’s visit began at the offices of Route Mobile Limited, recently acquired for €636 million by Belgian telecommunications giant Proximus. The event also marked the start of an Indian-Belgian Tech Forum. Proximus will also soon set up a global capability centre in Bengaluru, it announced at the event.
According to the delegation, there is still “great potential for further investment in Belgium”. Other seminars were held on healthcare and life sciences aimed at joint cancer research projects and genetic disorder research.
During a signing ceremony in the evening, officials presented 14 contracts drafted between Indian and Belgian industry leaders and ministers. Among them, Belgian dredging companies DEME and Jan De Nul announced that they would jointly work on a project for land recovery and coastal protection in the port of Vadhavan, on India’s west coast.
Thursday
Princess Astrid of Belgium pictured during a visit of John Cockerill India site in Taloja, India, Thursday 06 March 2025, on the fifth day of the Belgian economic mission to India. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
Following an event aimed at promoting investment into Brussels, as well as a royal visit to a proton therapy centre at the ACTREC Tata Memorial Centre, Princess Astrid and Belgian ministers visited the Taloja site of John Cockerill, which has been in operation since 2008.
The steel processing line, equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, exports steel products across the region and beyond. The event demonstrated Belgian know-how and the industrial potential of Belgian-Indian cooperation.
At a gala event in the evening, Belgium’s Port of Antwerp-Bruges, one of Europe’s largest industrial ports contributing €21 billion to Belgium’s economy, the delegation and Indian officials were treated to an event showcasing the success of Belgian companies from across the country.
“This evening celebrates the synergy between the Indian and Belgian communities– where partnerships shape a sustainable future,” the organisers said.
Friday
Vice-prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot pictured in front of a painting depicting Mahatma Gandhi during a diplomatic meeting in Mumbai, during an economic mission to India, Friday 07 March 2025. Credit: Belga/ Benoit Doppagne
On the last day of the economic mission in India, the participants started with a series of events highlighting the success stories of Belgo-Indian cooperation, logistics and cold-chain expertise. At the end of the morning, Princess Astrid and Belgian ministers met with Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan, governor of Maharashtra, at his residence.
The Princess and Belgian ministers later travelled to visit the Jawaharlal Nehru Port and were brought aboard the Congo River, a dredging ship controlled by Belgian maritime engineering company DEME group. The company, which is one of the world's leading experts in dredging, has carried out many projects across India through its subsidiary International Seaport Dredging. According to the mission's organisers, India is one of the world's largest markets for Belgian dredging expertise.
The final day's events focused heavily on ports and cooperation. The Port of Antwerp, a key participant in the trade delegation, was eager to position itself as a partner to Indian exports. At an afternoon session, the training centre of the Antwerp port celebrated 10 years of relations with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, India's largest port. At the event, the partners signed a number of memorandums of understanding aimed at port development projects worldwide, training courses and knowledge sharing between the two logistics hubs.
