Jaishankar and Modi Extend Congratulations to Belgium's New Leadership

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended their congratulations to Belgium's new Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot and Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Both Indian leaders emphasized their anticipation of strengthening bilateral ties and global collaborations with Belgium's newly formed government.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday congratulated Maxime Prevot, the newly appointed Foreign Minister of Belgium. Jaishankar expressed his enthusiasm to work collaboratively with Prevot to bolster bilateral, European Union, and global partnerships. In a social media post, Jaishankar remarked on his eagerness to engage with Prevot to enhance mutual relationships.

Belgium's government was officially installed on Monday following a ceremony before King Philippe. This new administration, in place after eight months of political deliberations, includes 14 ministers and is led by the new Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Earlier, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his congratulations to Belgium's leadership, emphasizing his hope to work closely with De Wever to enhance India-Belgium ties while addressing global challenges.

Prime Minister Modi shared his sentiments on social media, offering his best wishes to PM De Wever for a successful tenure, while indicating a cooperative outlook on international issues. De Wever's induction as Belgium's Prime Minister signifies a shift towards right-leaning policies, following extensive coalition negotiations after the June 2024 parliamentary elections.

India and Belgium enjoy a longstanding diplomatic relationship that began in September 1947. The nations share a commitment to the rule of law, federalism, and pluralism. Belgium also backs India's bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council. Moreover, India and Belgium engage in collaborative projects in Science and Technology, rooted in a Memorandum of Understanding from 2006. A Joint Committee oversees these cooperative efforts.