Key Points
Princess Astrid heads high-level economic mission to India
Delegation meets key Indian ministers across multiple sectors
200 Belgian companies currently operate in India
Exploring partnerships in pharmaceuticals, logistics, and renewable energy
The visit will prioritise industries like pharmaceuticals, logistics, aerospace and renewable energy, according to an official statement.
The delegation is slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh; External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other high-level officials during next week.
"A large delegation from various sectors and the three regions will travel to New Delhi and Mumbai to strengthen Belgium's image as an attractive partner and gateway to the European market," the statement added.
The country currently ranks 18th among Belgium's export destinations. Around 200 Belgian companies are operating in India.
The mission starts on Sunday with a meeting with the EU ambassador to India. The delegation will make a site visit to the Agristo Masa factory, the first production facility of the Belgian company Agristo outside of Europe, for the official start of the construction of a new Belgian fry production line.
The current facility uses a biomass boiler that was made and installed by the Belgian company Vyncke. The Belgian character is further reinforced by the recent delivery of a potato harvester from AVR.
A seminar on water and waste management will bring Belgian and Indian partners together around cleantech, and the virtual inauguration of the Silox research and innovation centre is a fine example of Belgian ambitions in this area in India, according to the statement from the Belgian government.
Like defence, the construction sector is also one of the priority sectors of this economic mission. A seminar on this topic will examine future market trends and business opportunities, contemporary practices and challenges. Belgian and Indian companies and organisations will exchange best practices and discuss existing technologies and innovations.
The delegation includes representatives from 36 Brussels-based companies, with 61 participants, 30 per cent of whom are women. On March 5, the India-Belgium Tech Forum will focus on strengthening technological partnerships.
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