Belgium–India relations

{{Infobox bilateral relations|Belgium–India|Belgium|India|mission1=Embassy of Belgium, New Delhi|mission2=Embassy of India, Brussels|envoytitle1=Belgian Ambassador to India|envoy1=Francois Delhaye|envoytitle2=Indian Ambassador to Belgium|envoy2=Santosh Jha}}

Belgium–India relations are the bilateral ties between the India and the Kingdom of Belgium. India's Embassy in Brussels was opened in 1948. Belgium's embassy in New Delhi was opened in 1947. Its current complex, built in 1984, is an architectural marvel designed by Satish Gujral.

Belgium being India's eight largest trading partner as of 2009, accounting for trade of nearly ₹ 41,552 crore.{{cite web |last=Vadlamani |first=Sriram |date=7 August 2009 |title=Top 10 trading partners of India |url=http://asiancorrespondent.com/186/top-10-trading-partners-of-india/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228012905/http://asiancorrespondent.com/186/top-10-trading-partners-of-india/ |archive-date=28 December 2011 |access-date=11 January 2018 |website=Asiancorrespondent.com}} India and Belgium share the common value of "democracy, pluralism and rule of law" and Belgium has supported the G4 nations.{{cite web|url=http://www.whatisindia.com/issues/belgiumr/indo-belgiumr_info.html|title=Indo-Belgium Relations |website=Whatisindia.com|access-date=11 January 2018}} The former deputy Prime Minister of Belgium Steven Vanackere had said that "slowly but surely" India was getting its "rightful place in global governance". He reiterated that Belgium "unequivocally" reconfirmed its support for India's bid for a permanent seat in the enlarged United Nations Security Council.{{cite news |date=22 March 2010 |title=Belgium supports India's bid for permanent seat in UNSC |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Belgium-supports-Indias-bid-for-permanent-seat-in-UNSC/articleshow/5712783.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504032720/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-03-22/india/28126661_1_permanent-seat-unsc-belgium |archive-date=4 May 2013 |access-date=11 January 2018 |newspaper=The Times of India |agency=PTI}}

Bilateral trade

File:Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Belgian PM Charles Michel.jpg with Belgian PM Charles Michel, Brussels, 2016]]

India and Belgium have strong trading links, with India being the second largest importer of and fifth largest exporter to Belgian products.{{Cite web |title=India-Belgium Relations |url=http://mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=50042449 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114190418/http://mea.gov.in/mystart.php?id=50042449 |archive-date=14 November 2011 |access-date=7 May 2012}} In 2008, The Government of India spoke about how Belgium and India were "partners in a globalised world".{{Cite web |url=http://commerce.nic.in/pressrelease/pressrelease_detail.asp?id=2335 |title=Department of Commerce, Government of India |access-date=7 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116123752/http://commerce.nic.in/PressRelease/pressrelease_detail.asp?id=2335 |archive-date=16 January 2013 |url-status=dead }}

In November 2017, King Phillipe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium visited India for seven days.{{cite news |date=5 November 2017 |title=Belgian royal couple arrives in India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/10-things-to-know-about-king-and-queen-of-belgium/articleshow/61520230.cms |newspaper=The Times of India}}

There are many Indian diamond merchants from Gujarat and Rajasthan in Antwerp.

Diplomatic missions

File:Embassy_of_Belgium_in_New_Delhi.jpg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi]]

Apart from the Embassy of Belgium, New Delhi, The Belgian Government has further opened two Consulates-General and two Honorary Consulates: in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The Mumbai Consulate General is located at Bandra-Kurla Complex,{{cite web|url=http://india.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/embassy-and-consulates/consulate-general-mumbai|title=Consulate General in Mumbai|date=4 December 2014|website=India.diplomatie.belgium.be|access-date=11 January 2018}} the Chennai Consulate General at Khader Nawaz Khan Road – Nungambakkam,{{cite web|url=http://india.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/embassy-and-consulates/consulate-general-chennai/address-and-opening-hours|title=Address and opening hours|date=3 August 2015|website=India.diplomatie.belgium.be|access-date=11 January 2018}} the Kolkata Honorary Consulate at Camac Street( Abanindranath Thakur Sarani ),{{cite web|url=http://india.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/embassy-and-consulates/honorary-consulates/kolkata|title=Honorary Consulate in Kolkata|date=5 December 2014|website=India.diplomatie.belgium.be|access-date=11 January 2018}} while the latest one, opened on 26 April 2017, is at GIFT City, Ahmedabad. Opening the Honorary Consulate made Belgium the first country to do so at India's first International Financial Services Centre(IFSC).{{cite web |date=26 April 2017 |title=Belgium opens honorary consulate in GIFT City |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/belgium-opens-honorary-consulate-in-gift-city/article9664992.ece |access-date=11 January 2018 |website=Business Line|location=Chennai}}

The Embassy of India, Brussels is located at Chaussee de Vleurgat 217, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.{{cite web|url=https://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy4785/|title=Embassy of India in Brussels, Belgium|website=Embassypages.com|access-date=11 January 2018}} India also has its honorary consulates in Antwerp (Belgium) and Capellen (Luxembourg){{cite web|url=http://www.indembassy.be/pages.php?id=119|title=Welcome to Embassy of India, Belgium, Luxembourg & European Union|website=Indembassy.be|access-date=11 January 2018|archive-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620101945/http://www.indembassy.be/pages.php?id=119|url-status=dead}}

==See also==

References

India

Category:Bilateral relations of India