NEW DELHI: India pressed Belgium on Thursday to withhold sensitive defence technology from Pakistan, a demand that visiting Belgian defence minister Theo Francken accepted without reservation, signalling a decisive European tilt toward New Delhi.
The conversation unfolded during Francken’s morning meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, where Singh framed technology transfers to Pakistan as a red line for advancing Indo-Belgian defence cooperation. Francken responded that Belgium has chosen India “without any doubt in mind,” according to a defence source. He went further, pledging that no cooperation with Pakistan would occur during his tenure as defence minister.
That stance mirrors recent signals from Rome. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto delivered a comparable message in an April 30 meeting with Singh, reinforcing a pattern where European capitals quietly align with India on regional security concerns.
The visit produced concrete outcomes. India and Belgium signed a defence framework agreement alongside 10 industry-level pacts covering production of Belgian military hardware, including rockets, on Indian soil. Singh described the scope as spanning the “entire spectrum of defence relations and defence industrial cooperation,” with Belgian technology paired against Indian manufacturing scale.
Belgian officials highlighted additional opportunity areas: weapon systems, ammunition, radar, electro-optical sensors, command and control infrastructure, and counter-drone capabilities. Francken framed the collaboration as mutually reinforcing. “Every project that connects our technology with India’s growing defence industry strengthens both our security and economic position,” he said.
At a CEOs roundtable attended by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Francken underscored the broader India-EU strategic partnership, pointing to established dialogue structures across maritime security, information security, and aerospace.
Seth pushed for joint development and co-production of niche defence products, citing India’s shift away from import dependence through Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India initiatives. He named cybersecurity, AI-enabled unmanned aerial systems, underwater vehicles, and complex weapon systems as priority areas.
Separately, Thales and Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd announced a strategic alliance to explore local production of 70-mm rocket systems, both unguided and laser-guided variants. The partnership sets up technology transfer and distribution frameworks, with the first India-assembled rocket targeted for early 2027.
