India and Belgium convened the inaugural Strategic Dialogue in Brussels on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in their bilateral relations. The meeting reviewed cooperation across defence, semiconductors, supply chains, trade, investment, clean energy and mobility, reflecting the growing breadth of their partnership.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that this first Strategic Dialogue represents a structured and comprehensive framework for political engagement. Anchored in the wider India-European Union Strategic Partnership, it is designed to be regular, results-oriented and future-focused.

The session was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, Maxime Prevot. Both leaders emphasised the importance of building on complementarities to deliver tangible outcomes for their countries and for Europe.

Prevot highlighted that the Belgian Economic Mission of March 2025 demonstrated the dynamism of bilateral economic ties. He noted that trade, investment and innovation continue to strengthen relations and provide a solid foundation for future cooperation.

Jaishankar underlined Belgium’s special place in India’s engagement with Europe. He stressed that as the India-EU relationship acquires greater strategic importance, this dialogue will help deepen bilateral ties and expand cooperation across multiple domains.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said the discussions reflected the ambition of India’s partnership with Belgium and the European Union. He noted that the partnership has witnessed significant deepening in recent years and that the dialogue will further consolidate this momentum.

According to the MEA, both sides agreed to intensify collaboration in trade and investment, green energy transition, innovation and technology, connectivity, defence, security, regional and global issues, and people-to-people exchanges. The dialogue will be supported by regular high-level engagements to ensure sustained political momentum.

The two sides also noted that upcoming high-level visits later this year would provide opportunities to advance key initiatives and translate shared ambitions into concrete outcomes for the benefit of both nations.

Complementing the launch of the Strategic Dialogue, the India-EU Business Forum was held at the Federation of Belgian Enterprises. The forum brought together Indian, Belgian and other European businesses to discuss ways of converting political momentum into economic and trade opportunities.

The forum was attended by Jaishankar, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada, Belgian Minister-President of Flanders Matthias Diependaele, and Minister-President of Wallonia Adrien Dolimont. Discussions focused on the ongoing negotiations for the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and the potential to unlock new opportunities for businesses.

The MEA emphasised that India and Belgium reaffirmed their shared commitment to a stronger, more ambitious and future-oriented partnership.

This reflects the growing importance of bilateral relations and the evolving international environment, with both sides determined to translate political goodwill into practical cooperation.

ANI