India, Sept. 3 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Belgian counterpart Bart De Wever on Thursday agreed to expand cooperation in trade, defence, critical minerals, clean energy and emerging technologies as the two countries looked to deepen their strategic partnership.

In his media statement after wide-ranging talks with De Wever, Modi highlighted India's 7.8 per cent economic growth in the latest quarter, describing the country's growth story as a source of confidence and new opportunities for the world.

"Today, the world is going through a period of great upheaval. Conflicts continue to persist in many parts of the world. Whether it is food, fuel, or supply chains, every sector is being impacted by uncertainty," Modi said.

He sai...