Rome & New Delhi: Italy and India are embarking on a new era of partnership, fueled by a shared vision for strategic growth and collaboration across various sectors. This commitment was underscored by the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, announced during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. The plan aims to elevate the bilateral relationship into a comprehensive partnership encompassing trade, technology, defense, and energy.

A Roadmap for Collaboration

The Joint Strategic Action Plan outlines ten key areas of cooperation designed to boost collaboration between the two nations. These include:

• Economic Cooperation and Investments: Leveraging joint commissions and working groups to increase bilateral trade, market access, and investments, especially in high-potential sectors such as green technologies, sustainable mobility, and food processing. Promoting trade fairs, business forums, and industrial partnerships to drive investment, particularly in critical technologies, semiconductors, and sustainable mobility.
• Science, Technology, IT, Innovation, and Start-ups: Expanding cooperation on critical and emerging technologies like telecom, artificial intelligence, and digitalization of services. Launching an Indo-Italian Innovation Exchange Programme to support start-up ecosystems in fintech, agritech, and healthcare. Organizing "Tech Summits" to share best practices and facilitate industrial partnerships.
• Connectivity: Fostering cooperation on sustainable transport and enhancing collaboration in maritime and land infrastructure, especially within the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). Concluding an agreement on cooperation in the maritime and port sector.
• Defense and Security: Negotiating a Defence Industrial Roadmap and enhancing maritime collaboration, including joint search-and-rescue operations and initiatives to combat maritime pollution. Extending discussions to cybersecurity and counter-terrorism, reflecting a shared commitment to global stability.
• Space: Expanding cooperation between the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to include projects of common interest in Earth observation, heliophysics, and space exploration. Organizing a mission to India by an Italian delegation of space industry representatives.
• Migration and Mobility: Enhancing cooperation to counter the facilitation of irregular migration and increasing mobility for students, researchers, and academics. A pilot project will cover training of health professionals in India and their subsequent employment in Italy.
• Cultural Cooperation: Increasing collaboration and exchanges between universities and higher education institutions, promoting exhibitions and cultural initiatives, and strengthening bilateral collaboration on the preservation and restoration of heritage sites.

Shared Values on the Global Stage

Both Italy and India have reaffirmed their support for multilateral initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the Global Biofuels Alliance, underscoring their shared vision for sustainable development and enhanced connectivity. Italy's support for a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific aligns with India's strategic interests and initiatives like the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Recent Developments

• In June 2025, Italy's Chamber of Deputies approved a military cooperation pact with India, focusing on training, technology, and the defense industry.
• A technical memorandum of understanding was signed in April 2025 on the sidelines of the 11th Italy–India Bilateral Committee.
• The Italian Space Agency ASI participated in the IAF Global Conference on Space Exploration (GLEX 2025) in New Delhi in May 2025.
• Anna Maria Bernini, Minister of University and Research of Italy, visited India in April 2025, signing a MoU for cooperation in scientific research.

Looking Ahead

The evolving partnership between India and Italy is anchored in mutual strategic interests and shared democratic values. As global geopolitics shifts towards multipolarity, the India-Italy partnership can serve as a model for resilient, sustainable, and forward-looking international collaboration. The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–29 and initiatives like the IMEEC are set to redefine bilateral engagement with long-term benefits in connectivity, energy security, innovation, and global diplomacy.