Economic studies

With robust growth underpinned by a burgeoning middle class, India has become the world's 5^th economy in just 20 years (ranked 12^th at the time), making it a market of the future.

This study provides the keys to a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing this leading Asian economy. The country comprises 36 States and Territories, each with their own unique characteristics, wealth and opportunities. At the heart of this mission, Mumbai and Delhi play a strategic role as national hubs.

In a complex geo-economic context, India is seeking to diversify its partners and to become a key player in world trade. Already well positioned in the services sector, the country is increasing its integration into global value chains for goods as well.

After analysing macroeconomic indicators, the study looks at sectors that offer great opportunities for our companies, such as pharmaceuticals and health, logistics, as well as space, aeronautics and defence.

Finally, some of the companies taking part in the mission shared their experiences and the links that bind them to India. These companies are active in telecommunications, agriculture and the manufacture of specialised chemicals.

This study was realised in the context of the joint economic mission to India from 1 to 8 March 2025.

Document only available in French and Dutch.

As the 16th world economic power, Indonesia offers interesting potential for our exporters and investors. The country is one of the emerging nations taking up the torch from the BRICS countries. Despite the slowdown recorded in recent years, the country's growth continues to hover around the significant 5% level in 2015, with optimistic prospects for the coming years.

The demographic structure makes the country especially attractive. As the fourth most populous country in the world, Indonesia has a young population and a strongly growing middle class. There are natural resources such as agricultural land and minerals in abundance. The archipelago wants to diversify and move from an economy dependent on raw material exports to one based on processing the latter into high-quality end products.

The elimination of fuel subsidies gave the government of President Widodo the space to allocate the budget thus freed to the renovation of domestic infrastructure, the development of renewable energy sources, the relaunch of the maritime sector and the introduction of measures to ensure access to education and health care.

On the occasion of the joint Belgian economic mission to Indonesia from 12 to 19 March 2016, the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency published an economic study. The first part analyses the macroeconomic situation of Indonesia, while the second part focuses on the most dynamic sectors: infrastructure, energy, cleantech and the maritime sector.

Document only available in French and Dutch.

The country's future looks brighter than ever after the rapid catching-up that Ivory Coast recorded following the clashes at the beginning of this decade. In 2016, Ivory Coast was among the world's top five growth countries and, thanks to a regained stability and a business-friendly government, everything points to this trend continuing in the coming years.

This study was realised on the occasion of the Belgian economic mission to Ivory Coast in October 2017.

Document only available in French and Dutch.

Interview with HE Makita Shimokawa, Ambassador of Japan in Belgium (November 2022):

Interview with HE Roxane de Bilderling, Ambassador of Belgium in Japan (November 2022):