Belgium ready to deal with controversial Indian politician

After the UK and Germany, Belgium has said that it too is ready to engage with Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi (pictured), the Economic Times reports.  "We are very willing to interact with him at the first given opportunity and would like to take forward business relations," Belgium’s consul general to Mumbai Karl Van den Bossche told reporters. "The EU is positive and constructive about reaching out to Gujarat and is also willing to engage with the chief minister," Van den Bossche said after opening a Belgium visa application centre here. Belgium, which has important business ties with the Indian state of Gujarat due to two-way diamond trade, opened its visa application centre in the city here today. The European Union had halted diplomatic relations with the Modi administration after the 2002 Godhra riots in which more than 1,000 people were killed as a result of clashes between Hindus and Muslims. However, in October last year, UK became the first EU country to engage with the Gujarat chief minister, ending a ten-year diplomatic boycott. Later, after the 2012 Gujarat legislative election, Germany and other EU states also softened their stance on Modi. Gujarat's relation with Belgium is robust due to the diamond trade, which represents 80% of all trade between India and Belgium. "In 2012 we received well over 5,000 visa applications from Gujarat. The ties between Belgium and Gujarat are particularly strong mainly thanks to diamond trade but increasingly thanks to other sectors too. Moreover, a few thousand Gujaratis have made Belgium and specifically Antwerp their home," the consul general said.  "The next step in our focus on India is the opening of a Consulate General in Chennai," he added.