41 Agreements To Be Signed During Belgian Royals Visit To India
Belgian royal couple King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium will pay a State Visit to India from 05 Nov to 11 Nov at the invitation of the President of India. This would be the first State visit to India following the King’s ascension to the throne in 2013.
The Royal couple will be accompanied by six ministers and a high powered business delegation comprising CEOs of 86 Belgian companies, 13 chiefs of academic institutions and 29 members from media. The visit comes at a time when the two countries are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relationship and are looking for ways to enhance people to people contact between the two countries.
India is Belgium’s second largest export destination and third largest trade partner outside EU. In 2016-17, our bilateral trade amounted to $13.28 billion of which exports from India to Belgium accounted for $5.65 billion while imports from Belgium accounted for $6.62 billion. Diamond trade dominates the Indo-Belgium trade and contributes to 75 per cent in the economy.
In an exclusive interview with BW Businessworld Jann LYUKX, Belgium Ambassador to India talks about the royal visit, current bi-lateral relationship and the future trajectory of Indo- Belgian ties.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
What does the state visit of the Royal Couple to India at this time mean for Belgium India relationship? Are you satisfied with the current trajectory of our bilateral relationships?
The visit is very important as this year we are celebrating 70 years of excellent diplomatic relationship between the two countries. In a way, this state visit of the Belgian royal couple at this time underlines the great relationship that the two countries share. Ours is an excellent relationship and it can only grow forward. We have the ambition to increase bilateral cooperation in all fields possible. This visit will see the signing of 41 agreement between India and Belgium in Delhi and Mumbai.
Which major Belgian companies are interested in India and what are the major areas of cooperation they are looking for?
Belgian companies are interested in many sectors and companies running in India. Belgium has a diversified economy. It is also important for the Belgian companies to discover India. There are certain special fields like innovation, which is also one of the main focuses of the state visit of the royals. We have quite some companies that are active in these fields. This is certainly an area where there is a lot of scope and we can build on it.
We are about to reach one year of demonetization in a few days, how do you think the drive has affected the Belgian business in India?
That’s a little difficult to say. Any type of general policy decision that impacts on the Indian economy it will have an impact on the business in Belgian companies have in India. However, I was never contacted by any Belgian business in regard to demonetization. As far as I know, no Belgian company has reported any kind of negative impact of demonetization.
India is now in the top 100 Countries on ease of doing business, how does that change Belgium’s view of India?
This is perfect news and I am sure it will help to create the perception of India being an interesting place to come and do business or to come and invest in. The news is very fresh and recent and it has to perspire through the media before it takes shape. But I am sure with the state visit and the statistics at hand for India, it will develop more interest in Belgian companies and business in what is happening in India.
How does the common man view of India in Belgium? How do you think Belgium can contribute to more people to people contacts?
India is considered a fascinating and exotic country in Belgium. People are interested in culture and history of this country. But people, in general, do not know too much about India in detail. There can be more people to people contact. And that will increase when tourism increases. So both sides should see to it that people know more about their country. The Belgian embassy in Delhi should promote Belgium in India and Indian embassy in Belgium should reciprocate the exercise.
