NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo on Tuesday reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways to strengthen the partnership in areas such as trade, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

During a telephone conversation with De Croo, Modi congratulated him on the recent successful hosting of the first Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels. The two leaders also pledged to bolster the India-European Union (EU) strategic partnership under the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU.

Modi and De Croo reviewed the relations between India and Belgium and discussed ways to strengthen the partnership in sectors such as trade, investment, clean technologies, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, green hydrogen, IT, defence, and ports, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

De Croo said in a post on X that he called Modi to discuss the “conflicts in #Ukraine and #Gaza and protecting shipping lanes in the Red Sea”. He said the two leaders also talked about growing commercial relations, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, green hydrogen, and a Belgian trade mission’s upcoming visit to India.

They also exchanged views on regional and global developments and agreed on the need to enhance cooperation and support for “early restoration of peace and security in the West Asia region and Russia-Ukraine conflict”, the external affairs ministry statement said.