Belgium PM says Europe ignored India's warning on China dependence

Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever said Thursday that Europe experienced a "rude awakening" over its economic dependence on China, acknowledging that India had warned Europe about these risks but was not heeded. Speaking at a CII event in New Delhi, De Wever criticized foreign overcapacity being dumped below cost on European markets, which undermined its industrial base and created dependencies that could be used as leverage. He noted India identified the problem earlier and warned Europe, but Europe is now drawing its conclusions. De Wever defended protecting core economic interests while remaining committed to free trade, stating Europe does not want dependencies weaponised against it. He is on a two-day official visit to India, where both countries agreed to expand cooperation in defence, critical minerals, and semiconductors.