The terrorist attacks on Brussels Zaventem airport departure area and the metro station close to EU office on March 22 killing some 28 and injuring dozens have come just eight days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to visit Belgium on March 30. As per media reports, there apparently were no security checks and anyone could walk into the departure area of the airport. The baggage too is not screened before the passenger checks in, implying any explosives can be easily be taken into the airport. Shots were reportedly fired before the explosions.
…the Paris attacks had revealed many terrorists were based in Belgium and even suspects were arrested in Belgium. How then could security be taken so lightly especially with news reporting intelligence warnings of an attack being imminent?
The absence of security checks is quite surprising considering that Europe has been in the cross-hairs of terrorist organizations, particularly the ISIS which has been giving ample warning of terrorist attacks and countries like France, Britain and Spain have already suffered terrorist attacks. More importantly, the Paris attacks had revealed many terrorists were based in Belgium and even suspects were arrested in Belgium. How then could security be taken so lightly especially with news reporting intelligence warnings of an attack being imminent?
Such laxity of airport security sure was also in India but decades back when in old times one could see at Delhi’s international airport hosts of relatives and friends coming into the air-conditioned departure area to see off passengers travelling abroad, spending the balance night in the departure area itself stretched merrily on the floor. But those times have gone past long back in India. Obviously, the security will be tightened in Belgium to close all loopholes especially during the visits by Heads of States, PM Modi’s visit being in the immediate aftermath of the terror attacks.
In 2013, President Pranab Mukherjee had visited Belgium and together with the King of Belgians had jointly inaugurated the prestigious Europalia-India Cultural Festival. During his forthcoming visit to Belgium, PM Modi will be activating Asia’s largest ‘general purpose’ optical telescope for watching distant stars and galaxies installed in Devsthal (60 kms from Nainital) through Remote Technical Activation jointly with the Belgian head of state. Belgium has contributed part finance for the project along with technical assistance especially for the lens.
Bilateral trade between the two countries during period January-September 2015 stood at Euro 9.14 Billion, of which India’s export to Belgium was Euro 3.19 Billion and import was Euro 5.95 Billion.
The project has been spearheaded by the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES). Belgian firm Advanced Mechanical Optics System (AMOS) played a significant role in the project. The telescope with a diameter of 3.6 metres housed in a 10-storey building equipped with air and temperature control can be remotely operated from anywhere, and will be invaluable for astronomical observations.
The telescope will also act as a complimentary platform to ISRO’s Astrosat satellite using using a new support technology known as Active Mirror Support for operating the telescope online even when it is being used for observations. It will also have a high-resolution spectrograph, a low-resolution spectroscopic camera and an infra-red camera for data capturing which would make night-watch more useful for the astronomers.
Belgium has some 18,000 Indians including a floating population, many employed in the software and diamond industries as well as other local industries in major cities. Software companies like HCL, TCS and Infosys also have a presence in Belgium and employ many people of Indian origin. Around 800 Indian students are presently pursuing various courses in educational institutions of Belgium.
India’s ICCR has sponsored Chairs in the University of Ghent (since 1988, Hindi Chair) and at the University of Leuven (since 2013, Contemporary Indian Studies). Diplomatic relations between India and Belgium were established in 1948. Bilateral trade between the two countries during period January-September 2015 stood at Euro 9.14 Billion, of which India’s export to Belgium was Euro 3.19 Billion and import was Euro 5.95 Billion. Cumulative FDI inflows from Belgium into India between April 2000 and September 2015 amounted to US$ 855.30 million.
Belgium has some 18,000 Indians including a floating population, many employed in the software and diamond industries as well as other local industries in major cities.
As per the data of National Bank of Belgium, Indian companies invested Euro 80 million in Belgium during 2014. A framework agreement for cooperation in Science and Technology (S&T) between the two countries was signed during the visit of the Belgian PM to India in November 2006 which established India-Belgium Joint Committee on S&T.
The last meeting of the Joint Committee was held in September 2015 in New Delhi. This framework includes cooperation in space technology, MoU between TERI, India and VITO-Belgium, MoU between BARC and SCK – SEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Centre) that covers cooperation in management of nuclear waste, geological disposal technique, advance research reactor systems and collaboration in the context of INPRO project of the IAEA.
There is on-going cooperation between Ministry of Shipping of India and the Antwerp Port Authority of Belgium in the field of training and a MoU enables Antwerp Port to organize training for Indian officials in Mumbai.
…former Deputy PM of Belgium had said that slowly but surely India was getting its rightful place in global governance, and reiterated Belgium’s unequivocal support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in the enlarged UNSC.
To commemorate sacrifices of Indian soldiers in Flanders fields during WW I, an Indian Memorial Pillar was reinstalled alongside Menin Gate in Ieper on 12 March 2011, where the annual Armistice Day celebrations take place on 11 November. For the centenary celebrations, Belgian Government organized two international events. Gen (Retd) VK Singh, MoS External Affairs represented India at the events. United Services Institution of India and Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres organized an international seminar on “Indians and Western Front” during 24-25 October 2014 at Ypres.
The annual commemoration ceremony for the India Soldiers, who participated in the First World War, took place on 12 November 2015 at the Indian Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. The commemoration also included Indian Army Memorial Concert at Knokke Heist in Belgium on 11 November 2015.
India and Belgium share the common values of democracy, pluralism and rule of law. Steven Vanackere, former Deputy PM of Belgium had said that slowly but surely India was getting its rightful place in global governance, and reiterated Belgium’s unequivocal support for India’s bid for a permanent seat in the enlarged UNSC. Indo-Belgium relations have always been strong. Prime Minister Modi’s visit would take them to the next level with cooperation in countering terrorism also being part of the agenda.
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Lt Gen (rtd) Prakash Katoch has viewed the unfortunate Belgium episode very aptly. Europe must take Belgium case seriously, as seriously as we, Indians are. Question remains pertinent: is materially wellof european society really geared up to set the terrorists right ? The scenario of the world evidences that , generally speaking, human spirit is too weak and succumbing to control terrorism.Religion, with all of its brands and boasts, has utterly failed to control terrorism. Communism, with whatever remains still on our planet, may have denied what is known as Maoism, has too failed to control blood shed in the name of Maoism.Hasnt the talk of human civilization been rendered to irrelevance by terrorism? Has UNO too become irrelevant or impotent in solving the universal problem of terrorism? Let us watch whether the mankind becomes kind enough to ensure that the blood of innocent humans is not shed any more by the humans turned professional corps collectors. PM Narendra Modi must be knocking the closed doors of kind humanity to awaken it to make united efforts to save our planet.What is the use, and what is the relevance of Sciences,Strategical Studies, flourishing industries of arsenals, alliances, peace talks and the hypocritical flaunts of materials if our Spirits must be so vulnerable to the ever increasing trends of terrorism?