Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Friday, 4 September declared that the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) makes both economies resilient against disruption and coercion, delivering a pointed — if unnamed — rebuke of unilateral tariff decisions that have rattled global trade. Speaking in Mumbai at a high-level India-Belgium dialogue on the India-EU FTA, De Wever called the agreement 'the mother of all deals' and a cornerstone of strategic trust between two of the world's largest economic blocs.

A Veiled Warning to Arbitrary Tariff-Setters

Without naming any country or leader directly, De Wever made his target unmistakable. 'Ladies and gentlemen, more and more voices today are calling for barriers to go up, for markets to be shut off, for tariffs to be imposed. Some do this entirely arbitrarily. They decide something on Monday, they revoke it on Wednesday. I am not going to say the name, but you know these people who do it arbitrarily, without any economic logic at all,' he said.

The remarks came against the backdrop of sweeping tariff actions by the United States under President Donald Trump, which have unsettled supply chains across Asia and Europe. De Wever stressed that open, mid-sized trading economies like Belgium and rapidly expanding powerhouses like India cannot afford economic isolation or what he termed 'weaponised trade barriers'.

The India-EU FTA: Scale and Significance

De Wever described the India-EU FTA — concluded in January — as one of the most far-reaching trade agreements in history, covering a combined market of two billion consumers and representing roughly a quarter of the world economy. He called it 'an expression of strategic openness' and 'proof of mutual respect'.

'We are sailing through rough waters. But India and Europe, we have made a choice to be that diamond; we choose another course. If we are pressured, we are pressured together, and we choose partnership,' he said, echoing a diamond-under-pressure metaphor earlier used by Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

De Wever also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him 'a wise leader and one of the most inspiring world leaders.'

What the Government Said

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who was present at the dialogue, described the India-EU FTA as a 'win-win agreement' that took 25 years to finalise. 'It will open opportunities for farmers, start-ups, women entrepreneurs; it has something for everyone. It's been deftly negotiated, protecting sensitive sectors on both sides. There is not one murmur on the India-EU FTA. All 27 countries are on board, supportive and unanimous about the FTA, which is rare,' Goyal said.

Goyal added that India and Belgium face a choice between being 'swept by the chaos' or building trust and cooperation, and that both nations had chosen the latter path.

Maharashtra Bids for First-Mover Advantage

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, also present at the event, issued a direct invitation to Belgian businesses. 'If Belgian companies are looking at India for investment after the FTA, look and come to Maharashtra. We have a manufacturing ecosystem. This should become a template for Belgium-Maharashtra partnerships,' he said.

Fadnavis stated that Maharashtra aims to be the first Indian state to translate the FTA into on-ground action, offering dedicated government teams to fast-track Belgian projects. He framed the state as the 'principal engine' of India's growth story and its ambition to reach a trillion-dollar economy.

Belgian Business Mission Planned for 2027

De Wever announced that a full delegation from the Belgian port community — covering terminals, logistics, chemistry, and energy — will visit India in February 2027. 'We are not going to discuss what we might do; we are going to agree on what we are going to do,' he said, signalling a shift from dialogue to binding commitments.

The event was jointly organised by Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the Chancellery of the Belgian Prime Minister, FPS Foreign Affairs, Flanders Investment & Trade, and the Consulate-General of Belgium in Mumbai. With both sides now targeting sector-specific action plans, the coming months will test whether the FTA's strategic ambition translates into measurable trade and investment flows.