India has told Belgium that deeper defence cooperation between the two countries will depend on Brussels taking New Delhi’s concerns into account over the transfer of sensitive defence technology to Pakistan.
During a meeting on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh raised the issue with visiting Belgian Defence and Trade Minister Theo Francken, who assured India that Belgium had chosen to strengthen its partnership with New Delhi. Francken said that as long as he remains Belgium’s defence minister, there would be no question of defence cooperation with Pakistan in sensitive areas.
The Belgian minister’s position is similar to the assurance given by Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto during his meeting with Rajnath Singh in April, according to defence officials. India sees the responses as an indication of growing European support for its position on defence technology and security cooperation.
Following the meeting, Singh said India and Belgium had reviewed the full range of their defence ties and industrial cooperation. Several MoUs and contracts were signed to combine Belgian technology with India’s manufacturing capabilities and scale.
The two countries also signed a defence framework agreement along with 10 separate agreements involving collaboration between Indian and Belgian defence companies. The partnerships are expected to support the production of Belgian military equipment, including rockets, in India.
Belgium has also identified several areas for potential cooperation, including weapon systems, ammunition, radar, electro-optical sensors, command-and-control systems and counter-drone technologies. Francken said linking Belgian technology with India’s expanding defence manufacturing ecosystem would strengthen both countries’ security and economic interests.
Speaking at the India-Belgium Defence CEOs Roundtable and B2B meetings, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth called on Belgian defence companies to combine their technological capabilities with India’s manufacturing scale. He highlighted opportunities for joint development and production in specialised defence technologies.
Seth said India’s defence manufacturing sector is moving away from import dependence towards indigenous production, trusted international partnerships and greater global competitiveness through initiatives such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. He also identified cyber security, AI-enabled unmanned aerial systems, underwater vehicles and advanced weapon systems as potential areas for collaboration.
Francken also highlighted the expanding strategic relationship between India and the European Union, particularly in maritime security, information security and aerospace. He described India as a trusted partner for the EU and called for closer cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces.
Separately, global defence company Thales and Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd, a subsidiary of Bharat Forge, have entered into a strategic alliance to explore the production of unguided and laser-guided versions of Thales’ 70-mm combat-proven rocket systems in India.
The agreement provides a framework for technology transfer, local manufacturing and distribution of the rocket systems and related equipment. The companies aim to establish a domestic supply chain and develop India as a manufacturing and export hub for advanced rocket systems.
The first fully assembled rocket manufactured in India is expected to be ready by early 2027.
