India and Belgium expand defence ties with joint military hardware production pacts

India and Belgium agreed to significantly expand their defence partnership on Thursday, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Belgian counterpart Theo Francken signing several agreements aimed at strengthening military and industrial cooperation. The agreements include provisions for joint production of defence equipment in India.

Both Defence Ministers reviewed the entire spectrum of defence and industrial cooperation between the two countries, agreeing to broaden engagement through training and capacity-building initiatives. They also discussed regional peace and security, emphasizing the need for greater maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, the two nations signed a defence framework agreement. The partnership was described as being based on shared values of mutual trust and respect, with Belgium's trade interests and India's Indo-Pacific position creating convergent security concerns.