Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever made a historic visit to India from September 2-4, 2026, marking the first visit by a Belgian Prime Minister in two decades. As reported by ANI, this visit comes at a time when bilateral relations are on an upward trajectory, following the inaugural India-Belgium strategic dialogue held in Brussels in July this year. The visit builds on strong momentum generated by the successful conclusion of the India-EU-FTA negotiations in January 2026 and the growing India-EU strategic partnership. During restricted and delegation-level meetings, the two leaders reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and expressed commitment to further expanding and deepening this multifaceted relationship.
During his visit, Bart De Wever inaugurated the renovated and expanded laboratory of HRD Antwerp at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The expansion will increase research and grading capacity by 30%, allowing the laboratory to examine and grade up to 2,000 diamonds a day, compared with its earlier capacity. The company will also recruit 40 additional full-time employees to support the expanded operations. According to The Economic Times, India has become the largest market for HRD Antwerp, accounting for 59% of the group's total revenue. The Indian business is expected to grow 15.4% this year, ahead of the company's projected 12.6% growth globally, with jewellery grading emerging as a key growth driver accounting for 47% of HRD Antwerp's total increase in revenue.
The discussions covered comprehensive cooperation across multiple sectors beyond traditional diamonds. As reported by Rediff Moneynews, the two nations discussed cooperation in semiconductors, green hydrogen, ports, defence, and advanced manufacturing. Belgian PM Bart De Wever emphasized that the FTA represents strategic openness, mutual trust, and mutual respect, making economies resilient against disruption and coercion. He criticized growing protectionism, stating that some countries impose tariffs arbitrarily and inflict serious economic damage on trading partners. Meanwhile, Piyush Goyal reiterated India's stance on a US FTA, seeking preferential access and lower tariffs than competitors, with no deadline for signing the pact.
The Prime Minister's program included a major business event where he delivered a keynote address in the context of the successful conclusion of the EU-India free trade agreement negotiations and strong complementarities between Belgian and Indian economies. As reported by ANI, there was also a call on the Prime Minister by the Minister of Civil Aviation. The Prime Minister will continue his visit to Mumbai tomorrow, where he is expected to engage with various stakeholders, including those from the diamond, ports, and logistics sectors. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday suggested that India and Belgium should collaborate on the lab-grown diamonds sector, emphasizing that the two countries need to work on technology and certification aspects of lab-grown diamonds, with the initiative potentially anchored in Antwerp and Mumbai and Surat.
