Belgium’s Princess Astrid leads biggest economic mission to India

Belgium’s Princess Astrid is leading one of the biggest economic missions from the country to India over eight days, beginning Saturday, a statement from the Belgian foreign trade promotion body said.

A large delegation from various sectors and from the three regions in Belgium will travel to New Delhi and Mumbai to strengthen Belgium’s image as an attractive partner and a gateway to the European market, the statement from Belgium’s Federal Public Service, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation said.

Each of the three federal regions—Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region—has its own government and specific powers, particularly in economic policy.

During the mission, Princess Astrid and accompanying ministers will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, trade minister Piyush Goyal, defense minister Rajnath Singh, and Maharashtra governor C. P. Radhakrishnan.

“India is an important player on the world stage and a crucial partner for Belgium in terms of economic and commercial diversification. In the current context of radical geopolitical changes, the Indo-Pacific region is gaining in strategic importance,” the statement said.

“This is also evident from the visit of the College of European Commissioners to India on 27 and 28 February. The visit emphasizes the importance of strengthening ties in key areas that are vital to the prosperity and security of Belgium, Europe and India,” it added.

India is among the top five countries for greenfield projects. New Delhi and Mumbai were chosen as destinations for this Belgian economic mission because of economic and institutional reasons.

“A growing number of Belgian companies are focusing on India, both in more traditional sectors such as chemicals, machinery, food and beverages, and in more strategic sectors such as pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, defense and aerospace technology. A sustainable dialogue with India is needed to actively promote the interests of our companies,” the statement added.

Princess Astrid will be accompanied by a ministerial delegation consisting of Maxime Prévot, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, European affairs and development cooperation; Theo Francken, minister of defense, responsible for foreign trade; and Matthias Diependaele, minister-president of the Flemish government and Flemish minister for economy, innovation and industry, foreign affairs, digitalization and facility management.

The official delegation will be accompanied by some 330 participants from the economic, financial, academic and political worlds.

Princess Astrid is leading the mission as a representative of the King.

The extensive program includes meetings with local companies and research institutions, participation in high-level cross-sectoral seminars and a series of visits to some important Belgian companies already present in India and their local partners.

The sectors that will be discussed during this Belgian economic mission are climate and renewable energy; healthcare and life sciences; (eco-)construction; transport and logistics; aerospace and defense; and decarbonization of steel, the statement added.

The Belgian economic missions are jointly organized by the FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency and the three regional agencies responsible for promoting trade and investment: Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT), Brussels Invest and Export (hub.brussels), Agence Wallonne à l’Exportation et aux Investissements étrangers (Awex).

Belgium and India have long-standing historical ties. As early as the beginning of the 18th century, ships from Ostend—a significant Belgian port city and base for the Ostend Company—were already calling at the Indian coast. This company was established to engage in trade with the East Indies and China, actively trading along the Indian coastline. A month after India’s independence in 1947, Belgium was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations.

Diamonds remain a cornerstone of the economic relationship, but in recent years strong growth has been visible in various other sectors. This mission aspires to highlight Belgium’s expertise in the industries of the future and is aimed at emphasizing and further deepening the ties at the economic, political, and scientific levels.