New Delhi, September 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s planned gift of an India Gate sculpture made entirely of Belgian chocolate for Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not survive the journey to India, prompting a light-hearted moment during the Belgian leader’s visit.
Addressing a joint press conference with PM Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday, De Wever said the chocolate replica had been specially created as a symbolic gift but failed to make it to India intact.
“I had actually planned to present to Prime Minister Modi a fitting gift — a sculpture of India Gate entirely made out of the best Belgian chocolates,” De Wever said.
He joked that while the real India Gate has stood for almost a century, its chocolate version could not withstand the journey.
“Chocolate is excellent for diplomacy, but not excellent for diplomatic travel, we noticed,” he said, adding that a back-up version of the sculpture was still in Belgium and would eventually be delivered to Modi.
De Wever said India Gate had been deliberately chosen because of its connection to the shared history and future partnership between India and Belgium. He noted that the monument commemorates Indian soldiers who fought and died in Flanders Fields during the First World War.
More than a century ago, Indian soldiers travelled thousands of miles to fight on Belgian soil, De Wever said, adding that Belgium had not forgotten their courage and sacrifice. He said the memorial also served as a reminder that peace could never be taken for granted.
The Belgian Prime Minister described his India visit as particularly meaningful as it was the first by a Belgian Prime Minister in 20 years, although he said the gap had been “too long”.
De Wever thanked Modi for the warm welcome and said India had undergone enormous transformation over the past two decades, particularly during Modi’s leadership.
He described India as the world’s largest democracy, a rapidly growing major economy and an economic, technological and geopolitical powerhouse, making it an increasingly important partner for Belgium.
De Wever also highlighted Belgium’s strengths as a smaller but highly open and internationally connected economy, saying its prosperity had been built around trade and access to global markets.
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