Rajnath Singh, Belgian counterpart Francken review defence ties, industrial cooperation

New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Belgian Defence and Trade Minister Theo Francken in New Delhi on Thursday and reviewed defence ties and defence industrial cooperation.

Rajnath Singh stated that several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and contracts under the defence industrial cooperation were signed.

Following the meeting, Singh, in a post on X, wrote, “Had a very productive meeting with the Defence and Trade Minister of Belgium, Mr Theo Francken in New Delhi today. We reviewed the entire spectrum of Defence relations and Defence Industrial Cooperation between India and Belgium. Multiple MoUs and contracts under the Defence Industrial Cooperation were also signed, towards leveraging Belgian technology together with Indian skill and scale.”

Currently, Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever and Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Theo Francken are on an official visit to India. The mission focuses on the growing interconnectedness of security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific, closer military cooperation and concrete opportunities for defence companies of the two nations.

According to the Belgian Defence Ministry, several key agreements are being signed between both countries. The agreements on collaboration between the Belgian and Indian defence industries will be signed, including the production of Belgian military tech such as rockets in India.

Theo Francken stressed the geostrategic importance of the strategic pact with India.

“India is a rapidly growing economy and a major military power in the Indo-Pacific. The country is also strategically located along some of the world’s most important trade routes. For an open trading nation like Belgium, the security of these sea lanes is vital. At the same time, Europe’s security is increasingly interconnected with developments in Asia,” he said.

“Russia is waging war in Ukraine and is cooperating ever more closely with Iran and North Korea in the military sphere. China is becoming increasingly assertive in the Indo-Pacific. What happens in Asia has consequences for Europe. And vice versa. Our security does not stop at our borders. That is why we need to work more closely with strong partners such as India: militarily, technologically and industrially,” he added.

India and Belgium intend to develop an industrial roadmap. The Belgian Defence College plans to organise its World Study Trip in India in 2027.

“We have built trust. Now we need to translate that into concrete cooperation. Not non-binding declarations, but joint training, industrial projects and opportunities for our companies,” Francken said.

The signing of a cooperation agreement between Belgian Security and Defence Industry (BSDI) and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) is an important step as the sector organisations represent the Belgian and Indian defence industries. This will make it easier for companies of the two nations to participate in co-development under the Make in India initiative.

“The scale is enormous. India is modernising one of the largest armed forces in the world. For companies whose technology gains access to these programmes, this can quickly translate into major orders and major contracts. The agreement between BSDI and SIDM opens that door,” Francken said.

Belgian technology for Indian programmes in maritime security is a key area of focus. India wants to strengthen its capabilities in mine countermeasures, autonomous maritime systems, underwater robotics, advanced sensors and the protection of critical infrastructure, including ports, pipelines and subsea data cables. Both nations also have opportunities in weapons systems, ammunition, radar, electro-optical sensors, command and control, and counter-drone systems. These are precisely areas in which Belgian industry has strong expertise.

“With this visit, we are reaping the benefits of what we have built over the past year. Access to major programmes, industrial cooperation and tangible results. Every project that connects our technology with India’s growing defence industry strengthens both our security and our economic position. That means expertise, contracts and jobs in our country,” Minister Francken said.

As many as 15 Belgian defence companies are taking part in the mission, most of them represented by their CEOs. In addition to the agreement between BSDI and SIDM, the mission focuses on concrete industrial partnerships.

Francken arrived in New Delhi for an official visit on Wednesday. Upon landing in New Delhi, Francken on X wrote, “Just landed in India. So nice to be back in this beautiful country with beautiful people. Namaste.”

–IANS

akl/sd/