Narendra Modi
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Brussels as part of the first leg of his three-nation tour to Belgium, the US and Saudi Arabia. Rob Stothard - WPA Pool/Getty Images

On 30 March Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Brussels for the first leg of his three-nation visit to Belgium, the US and Saudi Arabia. The highlight of his trip will be hosting the 13th India-EU Summit, which is taking place after a four-year gap with the last summit held in New Delhi, India, in 2012.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Brussels in the early hours of 30 March. Despite only being in the country for one day, he is expected to attend a number of meetings and events before leaving for the US on 31 March.

The Indian Prime Minister is also expected to hold talks with his Belgian counterpart, Prime Minister Charles Michel. The meeting will include officials from the top 20 Belgian companies currently doing business with India or hoping to do so.

To conclude the Belgium leg of his three-nation tour, Prime Minister Modi is expected to address the Indian diaspora living in Brussels. The event is being organised by the Europe India Forum, who are expecting roughly 5,000 Indians to turn up to hear Modi speak.

Prime Minister Modi said on social media: "My meeting with the Prime Minister aims to expand trade, investment and high technology partnership with this important EU member. Along with Prime Minister Charles Michel, I would remotely activate the India-Belgium (Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences) Telescope."

"Our relations with Belgium are deep rooted and have stood the test of time. Within the EU, Belgium is India's 2<sup>nd largest trading partner. The European Union is a vital trading partner and the biggest export destination for India. This summit will advance our multifaceted engagement across a whole range of domains."

Talks at this year's India-EU Summit are expected to focus on counterterrorism, particularly in the aftermath of the Brussels attacks on 22 March. Modi is expected to pay respects to Raghavendran Ganesan, the Indian national killed during the bombings.

Prime Minister Modi commended the "resilience and spirit" of the Belgium people in the wake of the terrorist attack. He added that India stood "shoulder to shoulder" with them and shared the grief of those who had lost loved ones during the "horrific attacks".