Significant progress to be seen in defence engagement and production between India and Belgium: MEA

India's decision to appoint a Defence Attache to Brussels marks a significant milestone in the evolving strategic partnership between India and Belgium, reflecting the deepening of defence cooperation between the two nations. This development comes against the backdrop of Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever's visit to India in 2025, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral ties, particularly in defence manufacturing, technology sharing, and joint production. The reciprocal placement of Defence Attaches — Belgium having already stationed one in New Delhi earlier in 2025 — signals a mutual recognition of the strategic value each country brings to the other's security architecture. Historically, India-Belgium relations have been anchored in strong economic ties, with Belgium being one of India's key trading partners in Europe and a major hub for Indian diamond trade through Antwerp. However, defence cooperation remained relatively underdeveloped until recent years. The shift began with growing convergence on global security challenges, including maritime security in the Indian Ocean, counter-terrorism, and the need for resilient defence supply chains. Belgium's advanced defence industrial base — particularly in naval systems, cyber defence, and precision manufacturing — complements India's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) initiative and its push for indigenous defence production under the Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020. Key stakeholders include the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), led by Secretary (West) Sibi George who briefed the media on the development, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Indian Armed Forces, and Belgium's Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence. The appointment of a Defence Attache falls under the diplomatic framework governed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), to which both India and Belgium are parties. Article 7 of the Convention permits the sending state to freely appoint members of the mission, including military attaches, subject to the receiving state's agreement — a process now formalized through this reciprocal arrangement. For India, the significance is multi-dimensional. Economically, it opens pathways for co-development and co-production of defence equipment, potentially reducing import dependency and boosting exports under the target of ₹35,000 crore in defence exports by 2025. Politically, it strengthens India's engagement with the European Union, of which Belgium is a founding member and current host of key EU institutions in Brussels. Strategically, it enhances India's footprint in Europe's defence ecosystem, facilitating technology transfer, joint R&D, and participation in European defence initiatives like PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation), albeit as a partner. Constitutionally, the executive power of the Union under Article 73 enables the Government of India to enter into such international arrangements, while Article 253 empowers Parliament to make laws for implementing international agreements. The decision aligns with the Directive Principle under Article 51(c), which directs the State to foster respect for international law and treaty obligations. Looking ahead, this move is likely to catalyze structured defence dialogues, joint exercises, and industrial partnerships — possibly involving Belgian firms like John Cockerill (armoured systems) or FN Herstal (small arms) collaborating with Indian DRDO labs and private defence manufacturers under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) framework. It may also pave the way for a formal Defence Cooperation Agreement, similar to those India has with France, the US, and Japan. As global supply chains reconfigure, India-Belgium defence collaboration could emerge as a model for middle-power cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and European security architectures.