By IANS,
Brussels : A Belgian delegation is scheduled to begin a six-day visit to India Sunday to explore ways to boost bilateral trade and economic ties, EU News reported Friday.
The delegation, headed by Jean-Claude Marcourt, the economy and foreign trade minister of the Wallonia regional government, will visit New Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore and meet captains of Indian industry to discuss commerce and investment.
Belgium is linguistically divided into the French-speaking Wallonia region in the south and the Dutch-speaking Flanders region in the north.
Wallonia’s trade with India, which is its third biggest trade partner after China and South Korea, has grown to 100 million euro in 2006-07 from around 55 million euro in 2000-01.
Metal, metal products and chemicals form nearly 70 percent of its exports to India. It also exports machines, electrical and electronic equipment, ceramics, cement, stone works and plastic materials.
Meanwhile, speakers at the India Business Forum held on the sidelines of the ongoing international trade fair in Ghent in the Flanders underlined the big potential for investments for Belgian companies in India.
About 50 Indian exhibitors are taking part in the fair, which opened Saturday.