Belgium assures India of no defence or tech cooperation with Pakistan

Belgium has assured India it will not engage in defence cooperation with Pakistan involving military equipment or technology supply, according to sources cited by ThePrint, during Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever's visit to New Delhi on September 3. The assurance was reportedly conveyed during talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, though no public joint statement mentioned Pakistan or specified export restrictions. Belgium previously sold seven used C-130H aircraft to Pakistan in 2021, and a 2003 F-16 deal failed due to US approval requirements. India and Belgium signed a Letter of Intent for regular military exchanges and defence-industry partnerships, with 10 agreements covering ammunition, counter-drone technology and armoured vehicles. Belgium's decentralised export licensing system, governed by EU common rules, considers regional stability and terrorism risks.