Defence Minister of India (Raksha Mantri) Rajnath Singh held an important meeting with Princess Astrid of Belgium and Belgium’s Defence Minister Theo Francken in New Delhi today. The discussions primarily focused on the potential for increased defence cooperation, especially in the Indo-Pacific region with a particular emphasis on the maritime domain.
During the meeting, both sides explored ways to strengthen defence industrial collaboration between India and Belgium. Rajnath Singh welcomed Belgian investments in the Indian defence sector and emphasized the importance of Belgian companies expanding their presence in India. He further suggested that these companies could play a crucial role by integrating Indian vendors into their supply chains.
The meeting also saw both countries agreeing to work towards the establishment of an institutionalised defence cooperation mechanism, which will enhance bilateral defence ties in the future.