Belgian Defence and Trade Minister Theo Francken on Friday called for a greater role for India in efforts to end the Ukraine conflict, saying the US-led peace process was “unfortunately leading nowhere”.
Francken said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have an opportunity to advance peace efforts by the end of next week when Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to visit New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit.
“During our meeting with Prime Minister Modi yesterday, Prime Minister Bart De Wever emphasised the need for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. India shares that position. The US-led peace process is unfortunately leading nowhere. A bigger role for India in that regard would, therefore, be very welcome. As early as the end of next week, Prime Minister Modi will get a chance to step up. That’s when both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in New Delhi,” Francken said in a post on X.
On Thursday, Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever held talks in New Delhi and exchanged views on major international issues, including developments in Ukraine and West Asia.
“Regarding the war in Ukraine, both sides reaffirmed their support for efforts towards the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law,” the joint statement issued after the meeting said.
Francken also highlighted growing economic ties between India and Belgium, saying Belgium currently exports around 5 billion euros worth of goods and services to India and plans to double that figure across the board by 2032.
“Nearly 2,000 of our companies are active here, but there will be many more to come. At the end of this year, Indian Prime Minister Modi will visit Brussels to sign a comprehensive EU-India trade agreement. That will make exporting to India much easier for our businesses. The opportunities here for them are virtually endless. India has a market of 1.4 billion people. And it’s growing like wildfire (+8 per cent this year),” Francken said.
Welcoming the outcomes of his visit to India, Francken said the trip had helped strengthen economic and political ties with India and Japan.
“We’ll be taking off for Belgium shortly. It’s been an intensive week. Unfortunately, I had to miss the first day of school for my kids because of it. The same goes for my four staff members, who are all young fathers. But it was worth it. We’ve opened doors for our companies at the highest level. And we’ve strengthened political ties with two countries that truly matter in the world: India and Japan,” he said.
(IANS Inputs)
