India and Italy have elevated their diplomatic ties to a special strategic partnership, with a goal to increase bilateral trade to €20 billion by 2029. This development came as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss strengthening cooperation amidst global geopolitical tensions. The discussions, held in Rome, focused on enhancing the rules-based order, especially in light of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia. Both leaders underscored the importance of de-escalation and diplomacy to achieve enduring peace and highlighted the strategic significance of freedom of navigation and the reopening of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
During Modi’s visit, which was part of a broader tour to boost India’s energy security and cooperation in defense, trade, and technology, the two leaders committed to leveraging the upcoming India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement. Modi expressed satisfaction with the upgraded relationship, noting that the India-Italy joint strategic action plan for 2025-29 provides a forward-looking framework for collaboration. Italy’s Meloni emphasized the need for joint efforts to promote navigation freedom in the Indo-Pacific and to connect it with the Mediterranean via the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
The partnership aims to significantly enhance cooperation across various sectors, including trade, defense, science and technology, and innovation. Both countries are set to establish a mechanism for strategic guidance, led by their foreign ministers, to oversee the joint strategic action plan. Modi highlighted the potential for collaboration in areas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, civil nuclear energy, and space exploration, with plans for an India-Italy Innovation Centre to connect startups and research institutions in both nations. He also pointed out the growing cooperation between the defense industries and military sectors of the two countries, facilitated by a defense industrial roadmap for co-development and co-production.
Furthermore, the two nations agreed to foster the mobility of students, researchers, and skilled workers, particularly in STEM fields, and to align skills development with labor market needs. This includes a joint declaration to facilitate the movement of Indian nurses to Italy. The multifaceted partnership between India and Italy not only aims to enhance trade but also to deepen ties in technology and innovation, reflecting a shared commitment to addressing global challenges through collaboration.