India and Belgium has taken a significant move in defence cooperation, by signing a Letter of Intent to deepen bilateral military cooperation, between the two states, such as further military exchanges, defence industry cooperation and potential defence tools and equipment development or production cooperation.
The agreement was inked on the eve of the official visit of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to India from 2nd September. In New Delhi, De Wever met with Defence and Foreign Trade Minister of Belgium, Theo Francken, and had bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two defence ministries signed the Letter of Intent that would pave the way for frequent military exchanges, exchange of staff talks, exchange in education and training, exchange in research and exchange in defence-industrial partnership among other things, according to the India-Belgium joint statement.
The two countries also noted the increased cooperation between their defence sectors. They found a potential space for increased cooperation on defence production, future technologies, innovation, co-development and co-production. Several agreements and partnerships between Belgian and Indian defence companies were also welcomed by both sides.
This is on the back of that understanding that was discussed scope by the defence ministers of the two countries in March 2025 and which calls for institutionality and widening of the defence cooperation area, between the two companies.
India and Belgium are also seeking to further military-to-military cooperation including in maritime security, emerging technologies and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
India welcomed the appointment of a Defence Attaché in New Delhi by Belgium, and NZ-D as the resident Defence Attaché will be appointed in India’s Brussels Embassy.
The new framework is likely to give an additional boost to India-Belgium defence ties and would help realize greater cooperation at the technological and industrial level.