India and Belgium have significantly strengthened their defence partnership, with the two countries signing multiple agreements covering defence manufacturing, military cooperation and advanced technologies. The development followed a high-level meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Belgian Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken in New Delhi on September 3.
During the meeting, Rajnath Singh and Francken reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral defence and industrial cooperation. Both sides agreed to expand defence cooperation through regular dialogue, high-level visits, training, capacity building and greater collaboration between their armed forces. They also discussed regional security and the importance of maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
A key issue raised by Rajnath Singh was the transfer of sensitive defence technology to Pakistan. Singh conveyed India’s concerns and stressed that India’s security sensitivities should be taken into account. Francken assured the Indian side that Belgium would not cooperate with Pakistan on sensitive defence technology while he remains Defence Minister.
The defence engagement also produced several industrial cooperation agreements. Indian and Belgian companies are set to collaborate in areas including rocket systems, naval mine-countermeasure capabilities, radar systems, autonomous maritime systems, electro-optical sensors and counter-drone technologies. The cooperation is aimed at combining Belgian technological expertise with India’s manufacturing capabilities.
One notable agreement involves Kalyani Strategic Systems and Thales for the production of 70-mm rocket systems in India. The partnership will cover rocket variants for different military applications, with the first fully assembled rocket expected to be produced in India in early 2027.
The two countries are also encouraging co-development and co-production through closer cooperation between their defence industries. A defence CEOs roundtable in New Delhi brought together Belgian defence companies and Indian industry representatives to explore new manufacturing and technology partnerships.
The latest agreements mark an important expansion of India-Belgium defence relations, moving the partnership beyond traditional military exchanges toward joint production, technology cooperation and stronger industrial ties.