Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal held key meetings with European Union and Belgian leaders from July 14-15, 2026, to deepen bilateral trade, clean energy, and agriculture cooperation, according to the Economic Times.
Meetings with EU Commissioners
Goyal met European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen and discussed expanding collaboration in the agri-food sector following the successful conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA). In a post on X, Goyal stated: "Held a fruitful meeting with Mr. Christophe Hansen, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. Building on the successful conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, we discussed avenues to further deepen our agricultural partnership by strengthening resilient agri-food value chains, enhancing food security, supporting farmers & promoting sustainable growth."
In another meeting, Goyal held talks with European Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth Wopke Hoekstra, focusing on enhancing cooperation in climate action, renewable energy, and green technologies.
Bilateral Meeting with Belgian Deputy PM
Goyal also met Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy and Agriculture David Clarinval. According to Goyal's post on X, they discussed "expanding India-Belgium cooperation across trade, investment, technology, logistics and workforce mobility" and "exchanged views on the transformative potential of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement."
Schedule Highlights
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Goyal is on a two-day visit to Belgium from July 14 to July 15. His schedule includes:
- Visit to the Port of Antwerp to study best practices in multimodal connectivity, green logistics, and resilient supply chains.
- Visit to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre to explore opportunities for India's gems and jewellery sector through greater collaboration in the global diamond value chain.
- CEO-level meetings with Thales Group's Alain Queverin and Silox Group's Jean-Christophe Bogaert to discuss cooperation in aerospace, defence, cybersecurity, speciality chemicals, battery recycling, and sustainable manufacturing.
- Participation in the India-EU Business Roundtable and the 3rd India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Ministerial Meeting.
India-EU Trade and Technology Council
During the Brussels visit, Goyal is co-chairing the third India-EU TTC Ministerial Meeting alongside External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada. The Economic Times reported that the TTC serves as the highest institutional mechanism for cooperation between India and the European Union on trade, trusted technology, and economic security. Discussions at the TTC are expected to focus on foreign direct investment, trade facilitation, trusted technology, sustainable industrial growth, and resilient supply chains.
| Meeting Partner | Portfolio/Position | Key Topics Discussed |
|---|---|---|
| Christophe Hansen | European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food | Agri-food value chains, food security, sustainable growth |
| Wopke Hoekstra | European Commissioner for Climate, Net-Zero and Clean Growth | Climate action, renewable energy, green technologies |
| David Clarinval | Deputy PM and Minister of Employment, Economy and Agriculture of Belgium | Trade, investment, technology, logistics, workforce mobility, India-EU FTA |
The visit underscores India's efforts to strengthen economic ties with the EU and Belgium, leveraging the recently concluded India-EU FTA to boost trade and investment flows across sectors including agriculture, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.
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