India, Belgium push defence industrial cooperation, ink multiple pacts

New Delhi, September 4. India and Belgium have called for greater defence industrial cooperation, with the two sides exploring joint development and production of niche defence technologies by combining Belgium’s technological expertise with India’s manufacturing capabilities and scale.

The call came at the India-Belgium Defence CEOs Roundtable and B2B Meetings in New Delhi on September 3, attended by Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade Theo Francken and India’s Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth. Representatives of Belgian defence companies, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) also participated in the discussions.

Francken highlighted the scope for expanding industrial collaboration between the two countries to strengthen their defence capabilities amid an evolving security environment. Stressing the importance of joint efforts, he said the two militaries could be strengthened through closer cooperation between their defence industries.

The Belgian minister also pointed to the expanding strategic partnership between India and the European Union, noting the development of institutionalised dialogue in areas such as maritime security, information security and aerospace. These frameworks, he said, have contributed to positioning India as a trusted partner for the EU.

Seth said India’s defence manufacturing sector was undergoing a strategic transformation, moving away from import dependence towards indigenous capabilities, trusted international partnerships and greater global competitiveness under initiatives such as ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) and ‘Make in India’.

He stressed that India’s pursuit of strategic autonomy was not inward-looking and could be strengthened through credible and mutually beneficial international partnerships.

Seth identified cybersecurity, artificial intelligence-enabled unmanned aerial systems, underwater-domain vehicles and complex weapon systems as potential areas for deeper India-Belgium cooperation. He also highlighted the role of initiatives such as iDEX and ADITI in connecting startups and MSMEs with opportunities in AI, quantum technologies, military communications, counter-drone systems and adaptive camouflage.

According to Seth, India’s defence industrial base now comprises defence public sector undertakings, a rapidly expanding private sector and more than 16,000 MSMEs. The domestic industry is increasingly producing advanced capabilities for aerospace, naval and land platforms, besides defence electronics, cybersecurity, space technologies and unmanned systems.

He said the Department of Defence Production was taking measures to expand manufacturing capacity, strengthen supply chains and encourage technology transfer and joint development.

Seth also highlighted India’s liberalised investment regime, under which foreign direct investment in defence is permitted up to 74 percent through the automatic route and up to 100 percent through the government route for niche technologies. He said the country’s new space policy allows 100 percent FDI, while the Defence Industrial Corridors in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh provide incentives and ecosystem support to foreign original equipment manufacturers and other partners. Additional defence industrial corridors are planned in Maharashtra, Assam and other parts of the country.

The roundtable also saw the exchange of several memoranda of understanding aimed at combining Belgian technology with Indian manufacturing capabilities and expertise.

The agreements involved SIDM and the Belgian Security and Defence Industry; Larsen & Toubro and Exail Robotics SAS and EXAIL Robotics Belgium; Kalyani Strategic Systems and FN Herstal; Tembo Classic Engineering and Lachaussée; India Optel and OIP; Krishna Industries and Pitagone; DGVK Enterprises and Sol1 BV; and Kalyani Strategic Systems with Thales Belgium and Thales India.

The agreements are expected to provide a platform for greater technology collaboration, joint development and industrialisation of specialised defence products, further strengthening bilateral defence ties.