State Visit of His Royal Highness King Philippe and Her Royal Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium to India
Belgium was amongst the first European countries to establish diplomatic relations with independent India in September 1948. Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are on a State Visit to India from 05 Nov to 11 Nov 2017 at the invitation of the President of India.
His Excellency, the King Philippe’s “Royal Entourage” accompanied nearly 90-member-strong business delegation which included many top members of the Ministries, Rectors & Presidents of various prestigious Universities including CEO’s of important Belgian MNC companies, as well. This State visit would further strengthen the historically strong ties between the two countries.
India is Belgium’s second largest export destination and third largest trade partner outside EU. In 2016-17, our bilateral trade amounted to $13.28 billion of which exports from India to Belgium accounted for $5.65 billion while imports from Belgium accounted for $6.62 billion besides the Indian Diaspora in Belgium numbers around 18,000 of this nearly 10,000 are Indian citizens. Around 1500 Indian IT professionals work for various Belgian companies along with around 800 Indian students in various universities. Wherein Chitkara University has a strong academic alliance with Haute Ecole de La Province De Liege & IHECS for extensively boosting both teaching & learning mobility, joint curriculum development & delivery along with co-supervision & joint research/publications for all the mutual yet affirmative actions.
To acknowledge the phenomenal contributions & to honour our strong bilateral relations, amongst the prominent dignitaries especially invited by the Royal Majesties also included our Hon’ Chancellor Dr. Ashok K. Chitkara & Hon’ Vice Chancellor Dr. Madhu Chitkara for a Royal Business luncheon with the King & the Queen of the Belgians. This was also a great moment of pride for both the nations as Chitkara University commenced a new chapter of cooperation with Saint-Louis University, Brussels that was signed by Hon. Chancellor Dr. Ashok K. Chitkara & Dr. Pierre Jadoul, Rector, Saint-Louis University, in the presence of our Hon’ Vice Chancellor Dr. Madhu Chitkara & Dr. Fanny Lutz, Director of International Operations.
