Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with Modi
Three-day trip marks first Belgian PM visit in two decades, focusing on bilateral trade, defence, and EU-India FTA
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Belgian PM Bart De Wever arrives in India for three-day official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi
Photograph: Times of India (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever arrived in India on 2 September 2026 for a three-day official visit at PM Narendra Modi’s invitation.
- The visit is the first by a Belgian PM in two decades and includes bilateral talks with Modi on trade, defence, and the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
- De Wever will address a CII business event and meet stakeholders in Mumbai’s diamond, ports, and logistics sectors on 4 September.
- Bilateral trade between India and Belgium reached USD 13.01 billion in 2025-26, with defence cooperation emerging as a key focus.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 23 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 39 of the 62 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
78/100
Craft
85/100
Hype
15/100
62 sources · methodology
Missing from the left
Only 1 of the 23 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated left.
A reader who follows the left would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever arrived in New Delhi on 2 September 2026 for a three-day official visit to India. The trip, at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the first by a Belgian PM in two decades. De Wever was received by India’s Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, upon arrival.
The visit includes bilateral talks with Modi on 3 September, covering trade, investment, defence, technology, and regional issues. De Wever will also deliver a keynote address at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. On 4 September, he will travel to Mumbai to meet stakeholders in diamonds, ports, and logistics.
De Wever is accompanied by Belgium’s Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade, Theo Francken, and a delegation of officials and business leaders. Bilateral trade between India and Belgium reached USD 13.01 billion in 2025-26, with Antwerp serving as a global hub for diamond trade. Belgium has invested approximately USD 4.2 billion in India since 2000.
What the coverage left out
No left-rated outlet ran this story. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the 38 MoUs signed during the 2025 Belgian Economic Mission to India or the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue held in Brussels in July 2026. The centre-rated report and the Times of India’s full report were the only sources to include these details.
Coverage settled. We checked this 11 times and stopped on 8 Sept 2026, 20:01. The figures above are what it finished at.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
1 rated outlet
We have not written our reading of the left coverage of this story. The left-rated outlets that ran it are listed below.
Centre
9 rated outlets
- The Economic Times, the only centre-rated outlet to publish a full report, led on the visit’s aim to strengthen bilateral ties across trade, investment, defence, technology, and connectivity. It noted the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement on X, which described the visit as an opportunity to further the "close and multifaceted partnership" between India and Belgium.
- The report included details of the delegation accompanying De Wever, the scheduled talks with Modi, and the keynote address at the CII event. It also highlighted the historical context of India-Belgium relations, including the 2025 Belgian Economic Mission to India led by Princess Astrid, which resulted in 38 MoUs, and the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue in July 2026.
Right
13 rated outlets
- The right-rated digests and reports focused on the visit’s economic and strategic dimensions. The Times of India’s full report, like the centre-rated outlet, led on the visit’s goal to strengthen bilateral ties but placed additional emphasis on defence cooperation. It quoted the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement on De Wever’s arrival and noted the presence of Belgian defence industry representatives in the delegation.
- The Hindu Business Line’s digest highlighted the visit’s focus on deepening trade, defence, and technology ties, framing it as an effort to boost the USD 13 billion trade relationship. The right-rated digests from Latestly, Tribune India, and ANI News carried the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement verbatim, emphasising the visit’s role in strengthening the "close and multifaceted partnership" between the two countries.
- None of the right-rated digests mentioned the India-EU Free Trade Agreement or the specific sectors De Wever would engage with in Mumbai, such as diamonds and logistics.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with…?
- Of the 23 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 4% are rated left, 40% are rated centre, 56% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 62. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with… left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 23 rated outlets on this story, 4% are rated left, 40% are rated centre, 56% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with… biased?
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with Modi is one event reported by 62 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with…?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated left had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered Belgian PM Bart De Wever visits India for trade and defence talks with…?
- 62 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is the purpose of Belgian PM Bart De Wever’s visit to India?
- The visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties between India and Belgium, focusing on trade, investment, defence, technology, and connectivity. It includes talks with PM Narendra Modi and engagements with business leaders in Mumbai’s diamond and logistics sectors.
- How much trade does India conduct with Belgium?
- Bilateral trade between India and Belgium reached USD 13.01 billion in 2025-26. Belgium is a key economic partner for India in Europe, with Antwerp serving as a global hub for diamond trade.
- Which outlets reported on the visit, and what did they emphasise?
- Centre-rated The Economic Times and right-rated outlets like The Times of India and The Hindu Business Line reported on the visit. The centre emphasised the broad partnership goals, while the right focused on trade, defence, and strategic ties.
- What was left out of the right-rated reports?
- None of the right-rated digests mentioned the 38 MoUs signed during the 2025 Belgian Economic Mission to India or the inaugural India-Belgium Strategic Dialogue held in Brussels in July 2026.
Read it at the source
62 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
1Centre
9- India and Belgium agree to strengthen trade, defence ties (opens Reuters in a new tab)
- Bart De Wever and Belgian Armament Groups Get Big Contracts in India (opens La Libre in a new tab)
- PM Modi Meets Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Delhi (opens Hindustan Times in a new tab)
Hindustan Times — is Hindustan Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Modi meets Belgium PM in Delhi, lauds bilateral cooperation in key sectors; Wever calls India a ‘powerhouse’ (opens Live Mint in a new tab)
- India and Belgium Want to Double Trade in the Coming Years: "We Are 100 Times Smaller, but Have a Lot to offer." (opens vrt in a new tab)
- India and Belgium to enhance military exchanges, training cooperation: PM Modi (opens The Statesman in a new tab)
The Statesman — is The Statesman biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever arrives in India for three-day official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens The Economic Times in a new tab)
The Economic Times — is The Economic Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgium Prime Minister to arrive in India on first official visit (opens Devdiscourse in a new tab)
Devdiscourse — is Devdiscourse biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
13- India, Belgium aim to double $13 billion trade in five years, expand defence ties (opens CNBC-TV18 in a new tab)
- India, Belgium agree to double trade; Modi says nation's growth inspires global confidence (opens The Print in a new tab)
- PM Modi-PM De Wever Bilateral Talks: India-Belgium deepen defence, trade, critical minerals & clean energy partnership (opens organiser.org in a new tab)
organiser.org — is organiser.org biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium sign agreement to enhance military exchanges, training cooperation: PM Modi (opens India TV News in a new tab)
India TV News — is India TV News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India's economic growth source of confidence for world: PM (opens rediff.com in a new tab)
rediff.com — is rediff.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- PM Modi, Belgium PM Agree To Step Up Defence Ties, Military Exchanges And Training (opens ABP News in a new tab)
- PM Modi calls for early end to West Asia, Ukraine conflicts, says India-Belgium back dialogue (opens Moneycontrol in a new tab)
Moneycontrol — is Moneycontrol biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever arrives in India for three-day official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 5 more
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever Arrives in India for Three-day Official Visit, to Hold Talks with PM Modi (opens Latestly in a new tab)
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever arrives in India for three-day official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi - The Tribune (opens Tribune India in a new tab)
Tribune India — is Tribune India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever arrives in India for three-day official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens aninews.in in a new tab)
aninews.in — is aninews.in biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India-Belgium Relations Take a New Flight, Prime Minister Wever Will Meet PM Modi today... These Issues Will Be Discussed (opens Unknown in a new tab)
Unknown
- Belgian PM De Wever arrives in India to deepen trade, defence and technology ties (opens The Hindu Business Line in a new tab)
The Hindu Business Line — is The Hindu Business Line biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
39- Belgian PM Bart De Wever Arrives In Mumbai To Boost Diamond, Ports & Logistics Ties With India (opens The Free Press Journal in a new tab)
The Free Press Journal — is The Free Press Journal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium aim to double bilateral trade in five years as Modi meets De Wever in New Delhi - The Canadian Media (opens thecanadianmedia.com in a new tab)
thecanadianmedia.com — is thecanadianmedia.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- From Trade To Tanks: India-Belgium Ties Shift (opens stratnewsglobal.com in a new tab)
stratnewsglobal.com — is stratnewsglobal.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium Agree to Deepen Trade and Defence Ties, Target Doubling Bilateral Trade in Five Years (opens Maritime Gateway in a new tab)
Maritime Gateway — is Maritime Gateway biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium agree to deepen defence, trade and maritime cooperation; target to double bilateral trade - India Seatrade News (opens indiaseatradenews.com in a new tab)
indiaseatradenews.com — is indiaseatradenews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium deepen defence, clean-energy ties; to double trade (opens PressNewsAgency in a new tab)
PressNewsAgency — is PressNewsAgency biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Bart De Wever Is Visiting India to Intensify Trade Relations (opens RTL Info in a new tab)
- From Diamonds To Zorawar Tanks: Modi Hails India–Belgium Leap Into Strategic Sectors (opens indiandefensenews.in in a new tab)
indiandefensenews.in — is indiandefensenews.in biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 31 more
- India, Belgium target to double trade after India-EU FTA (opens MSNBCTV NEWS in a new tab)
MSNBCTV NEWS — is MSNBCTV NEWS biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Little Belgium Talks Big: Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s Speech to the Press Today on his state visit to India (opens Gilbert Doctorow in a new tab)
Gilbert Doctorow — is Gilbert Doctorow biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgium PM’s visit provides new momentum to bilateral ties and India-EU partnership: MEA (opens bhaskarlive.in in a new tab)
bhaskarlive.in — is bhaskarlive.in biased? Our profile of this outlet
- A New Chapter in India-Belgium Relations, a Flurry of Agreements (opens The CSR Journal in a new tab)
The CSR Journal — is The CSR Journal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Read After meeting PM De Wever, Prime Minister Modi stated, "We will double bilateral trade between India and Belgium within five years." - Gallinews India (opens gallinews.com in a new tab)
gallinews.com — is gallinews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium Deepen Ties Across Defence, Counterterrorism, Green Energy and Mobility in New Joint Statement (opens TFIPOST in a new tab)
- India and Belgium Strengthen Strategic Ties Through Zorawar Tank Project and MoUs (opens Zoom News in a new tab)
- "Zoravar Tank Will Enhance India-Belgium Ties," PM Modi Said After Signing the MoU - India TV Hindi (opens India TV Hindi Hindi in a new tab)
India TV Hindi Hindi — is India TV Hindi Hindi biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India and Belgium Have Set a Target of Doubling Trade over Five Years. (opens 1prime.ru in a new tab)
- Why India Is so Important to Belgium (opens levif.be in a new tab)
- India, Belgium to strengthen cooperation in semiconductors, defence (opens communicationstoday.co.in in a new tab)
communicationstoday.co.in — is communicationstoday.co.in biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium To Double Bilateral Trade In Next 5 Years, Says PM Modi (opens ODISHA BYTES in a new tab)
ODISHA BYTES — is ODISHA BYTES biased? Our profile of this outlet
- PM Modi says India, Belgium to enhance military exchanges, training cooperation (opens madhyamamonline.com in a new tab)
madhyamamonline.com — is madhyamamonline.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘Bilateral trade to be doubled in 5 years’: PM Modi on India-Belgium partnership (opens NEWS9 LIVE in a new tab)
NEWS9 LIVE — is NEWS9 LIVE biased? Our profile of this outlet
- India, Belgium to enhance military exchanges, training cooperation: PM Modi (opens The Hans India in a new tab)
The Hans India — is The Hans India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever Meets PM Modi at Hyderabad House (opens chitralekha in a new tab)
chitralekha — is chitralekha biased? Our profile of this outlet
- PM Modi, Belgian counterpart Wever hold bilateral talks at Hyderabad House (opens The Munsif Daily in a new tab)
The Munsif Daily — is The Munsif Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever arrives in New Delhi for three-day India visit - OrissaPOST (opens Orissa POST in a new tab)
Orissa POST — is Orissa POST biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever Arrives in India, Will Meet PM Modi, Several Important Deals May Be Signed (opens navbharatlive.com in a new tab)
navbharatlive.com — is navbharatlive.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever Arrives in India, Will Meet PM Modi Today (opens News Nation in a new tab)
News Nation — is News Nation biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM's India Visit: What Will Be the Full Itinerary? Focus on Bilateral Trade and Defense. (opens Amar Ujala in a new tab)
Amar Ujala — is Amar Ujala biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Wever arrives in India for first official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens Mangalorean.com in a new tab)
Mangalorean.com — is Mangalorean.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Wever arrives in India for first official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens Indian Abroad News in a new tab)
Indian Abroad News — is Indian Abroad News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Wever arrives in India for first official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens India News Australia in a new tab)
India News Australia — is India News Australia biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgian PM Wever arrives in India for first official visit, to hold talks with PM Modi (opens Social News XYZ in a new tab)
Social News XYZ — is Social News XYZ biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Today's Latest News LIVE: PM Modi Will Hold Bilateral Talks with the Belgian PM Today (opens TV9 Hindi in a new tab)
- Belgian PM Bart De Wever on 3-Day historic Visit to India – The Indian Awaaz (opens theindianawaaz.com in a new tab)
theindianawaaz.com — is theindianawaaz.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- De Wever in India Seeking Greater Economic Resilience (opens De Tijd in a new tab)
- Belgian PM Wever To Arrive In India Today On First Official Visit (opens Ommcom News in a new tab)
Ommcom News — is Ommcom News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Prime Minister of Belgium to visit India from 02 - 04 September 2026 (opens New Delhi Times in a new tab)
New Delhi Times — is New Delhi Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Belgium PM to Visit India for Bilateral Talks and Business Engagements (opens thechenabtimes.com in a new tab)
thechenabtimes.com — is thechenabtimes.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
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