The Belgium Defence Minister Theo Francken emphasized the potential for deeper industrial collaboration between India and Belgium, discussing areas of mutual interest, prioritizing collaboration, and outlining opportunities for Belgian defense manufacturers to leverage technological expertise alongside India’s manufacturing scale.
On September 03, 2026, Minister of Defence & Foreign Trade of Belgium Mr Theo Francken graced the India-Belgium Defence CEOs Roundtable and B2B Meetings in New Delhi. Attended by representatives from the Belgian industry, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, Francken highlighted potential areas for collaboration between India and Belgium to strengthen defense forces. Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth urged Belgian defense manufacturers to leverage their technological expertise alongside India’s manufacturing scale for co-development and co-production of niche products.
Francken underscored the growing strategic partnership between India and the European Union (EU), highlighting robust dialogue structures developing across maritime security, information security, and aerospace. He stated that these institutional frameworks have established India as a trusted partner for the EU.
Commending the dynamism of Indian entrepreneurs, Mr Theo Francken stressed the need to bolster the two militaries in the evolving security environment through joint efforts. ‘United we stand, divided we fall’, he said.
Highlighting the strategic transformation of India’s defense manufacturing sector, Raksha Rajya Mantri stated that the nation is decisively moving from import dependence to indigenous capability, trusted partnerships, and global competitiveness through initiatives such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India. ‘This transformation is outward-facing. Strategic autonomy is best secured through credible, mutually beneficial international collaboration’, he said.
Shri Sanjay Seth emphasised that India and Belgium can leverage their strengths and prioritise collaboration in areas including cyber security, AI-enabled unmanned aerial systems, underwater domain vehicles, and complex weapon systems. He stated that innovation platforms like iDEX and ADITI are engaging start-ups and MSMEs in AI, quantum technologies, military communications, anti-drone systems, and adaptive camouflage, providing ‘excellent avenues for bilateral R&D and industrialisation’.
Raksha Rajya Mantri pointed out that India’s defense industrial base today combines Defence Public Sector Units, a growing private sector, and over 16,000 MSMEs, with domestic industry delivering advanced capabilities across aerospace, naval and land platforms, defence electronics, cyber security, space technologies, and unmanned systems.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
