Rajnath Singh holds bilateral talks with Belgian defence minister. How India and Belgium are moving from defence talks to manufacturing

New Delhi: India and Belgium on Thursday stepped up defence cooperation with the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, and his Belgian counterpart Theo Francken holding talks in New Delhi on expanding bilateral defence ties and industrial collaboration. The two sides reviewed the full spectrum of their defence relationship and signed multiple MoUs and contracts aimed at giving greater momentum to cooperation between their defence industries.

Singh said the discussions covered both defence relations and defence industrial cooperation, with the agreements seeking to combine Belgian technology with India’s skills and manufacturing scale. He also called for greater engagement between companies from the two countries as part of efforts to expand the partnership.

The Belgian minister praised India’s technological capabilities and expressed support for deeper cooperation on future defence projects. The talks come amid efforts by both countries to broaden their relationship beyond traditional areas of economic engagement.

The prime minister, Narendra Modi, separately highlighted defence cooperation during his meeting with the Belgian prime minister, Bart De Wever in New Delhi. Modi said defence and security had emerged as an important pillar of the bilateral relationship and noted that India and Belgium were working together on modern defence equipment, including the Zorawar tank.

The two leaders also agreed to enhance military exchanges and training cooperation, while agreements between governments and defence industries are expected to create opportunities for defence co-development and co-production.

Modi said India and Belgium were also strengthening cooperation in clean energy, critical minerals and semiconductors. The two countries have agreed to increase cooperation in processing and recycling of critical minerals and connect Belgium’s semiconductor expertise with India’s growing ecosystem.

The broader discussions covered trade and investment, maritime cooperation, startups, research and higher education. India is also working with Belgium on an Investment fast-track mechanism for Belgian companies, while the two sides have agreed to make the India-Belgium business forum a regular platform.

The visit comes as the two countries seek to expand their economic relationship, with India and Belgium also agreeing to work towards stronger supply-chain cooperation and greater movement of talent. De Wever, who became prime minister in February 2025, is on his first visit to India as prime minister and the first by a Belgian prime minister in nearly two decades.

From defence dialogue to industrial partnership

The latest engagement points to a change in the way India and Belgium are approaching defence cooperation. Instead of limiting the relationship to military exchanges and government-level consultations, the two sides are placing greater emphasis on bringing their defence companies into the partnership.

For India, the attraction lies in accessing specialized Belgian technologies while using its own engineering talent, production infrastructure and expanding defence manufacturing ecosystem. The approach fits New Delhi’s broader effort to turn international defence partnerships into opportunities for domestic production.

For Belgian companies, India provides access to a large defence market and an established network of public and private manufacturers. Greater industrial engagement could create opportunities for joint production, component manufacturing, technology partnerships and integration into wider supply chains.

The Zorawar tank has emerged as one visible example of the technology partnership. Modi’s reference to the platform during the bilateral engagement underlines the possibility of cooperation moving beyond equipment sales towards participation in the development of advanced military systems.