Europe waking up to Modi's warning 'a bit late': Belgian PM

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has highlighted that Europe has been slow to acknowledge the risks of becoming overly reliant on other economies, pointing out that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warned about this issue earlier. De Wever, currently on a two-day visit to India, emphasized that both India and Europe are now confronting similar challenges, as economic dependencies are increasingly being utilized as leverage.

He noted that Europe is now engaging in the right discussions about its partnership options in a world where major economic powers are moving in different directions, highlighting India as the most crucial partner for Europe among countries that support multilateralism and cooperation based on respect, rather than force. De Wever also stressed that if India is not included in these partnerships, Europe has missed a fundamental point, emphasizing India's top priority in their list.

In reference to China, De Wever suggested that Europe is aiming to lessen its dependence on major economic powers that are moving away from rules-based cooperation, stating that such a direction is not what Europe seeks. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking at the same event, reiterated that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement is mutually beneficial, offering opportunities for various sectors including farmers, startups, and women entrepreneurs, and noted it as a significant win-win for both parties.