Belgian princess to lead 300-member business delegation to India

Source:Xinhua Published: 2013-11-22 16:32:52

Princess Astrid of Belgium is to arrive in India Saturday with a huge trade delegation of 300 businessmen, sources said Friday.

"The princess, the sister of King Philippe, will be accompanied by the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders during a week-long trip to this country. The delegation will meet Indian businessmen and political leaders during the tour aimed at boosting trade and investment ties between India and Belgium," the sources said.

Apart from the Indian capital, the delegation will visit Mumbai and the southern state of Tamil Nadu's capital Chennai where the princess will inaugurate a consulate general, they said.

Belgium is India's second-largest trading partner in the European Union, after Germany. The bilateral trade, mainly comprising diamonds and other precious stones, between the two countries was pegged at $16.5 billion in 2012.

The princess visit follows Indian President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Brussels last month.

Posted in: Europe

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