India-Italy to upgrade ties to ‘Special Strategic Partnership’; seal protection plan amid global upheaval | Today’s news

India and Italy on Wednesday upgraded their ties to a special strategic partnership, firming up a defense industry plan and vowing to expand annual trade to 20 billion euros by 2029, as Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Giorgio Meloni held wide-ranging talks to strengthen bilateral ties in the face of growing geopolitical turmoil.

Immersed in global challenges, the two leaders expressed “deep concern” over the situation in West Asia and its impact on the region and the rest of the world, with Prime Minister Modi calling for a resolution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

The two leaders also called for freedom of navigation and the resumption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Following the Modi-Meloni talks, India and Italy unveiled a defense industry plan that paved the way for joint development and co-production of military hardware and platforms, including helicopters and naval armaments.

In addition, the two countries finalized new frameworks for higher education and mobility of Indian nurses to Italy. The two sides signed 10 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), including agreements to strengthen partnerships in critical minerals, agriculture, shipping and marine products.

Modi landed in Rome on Tuesday on the fourth and final leg of his European tour to explore ways to boost cooperation in a range of areas, including defense and security, trade and investment, critical technologies and energy.

In their talks, Modi and Meloni agreed to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which was confirmed in January, and called for its early implementation.

“I am pleased that we are elevating our relationship to a special strategic partnership,” Modi said in a statement to the media.

“The India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 provides a practical and futuristic framework for our partnership. We are on track with it. Thanks to our joint efforts, bilateral trade is moving rapidly towards the €20 billion target,” he said.

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In her comments, Meloni emphasized the importance of freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region, a region that is witnessing the growing muscle flexing of China’s military.

The Italian prime minister also mentioned the elevation of India-Italy ties to a special strategic partnership from the existing strategic partnership and said the relationship was now able to “realize its full potential”.

In a significant step, the two sides also agreed to create a foreign minister-led mechanism to review the India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 and provide strategic guidance to the Special Strategic Partnership.

Both Modi and Meloni agreed to further expand cooperation in trade and investment, defense and security, science and technology, research and innovation, space, energy, artificial intelligence and critical technologies, education, culture and people-to-people relations, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

“Technology and innovation are the engines of our partnership. There is huge potential for our cooperation in areas such as AI, quantum, space and civil nuclear energy,” Modi said.

“We are working on an Indo-Italian innovation hub to connect startups, research centers and industries of both countries.”

The Prime Minister said that the close cooperation between the two countries in the defense and security sector is a symbol of “deep mutual trust”.

“Cooperation is increasing between the two countries’ defense industries as well as between our militaries. Our Defense Industry Plan has paved the way for joint development and co-production,” he said.

The two prime ministers welcomed the adoption of a joint statement of intent and a defense industry plan that will promote partnerships for technological cooperation, co-production and joint development projects, including helicopters, naval platforms, naval armaments and electronic warfare.

The two sides also agreed to launch a maritime security dialogue to strengthen maritime security cooperation, coordination and exchange of maritime information and best practices.

In his comments, Modi said the two sides would work together on shipping, port modernization, logistics and the blue economy.

“We also discussed the expansion of our mutually beneficial partnership to third countries. In this direction, we agreed to work on specific projects in Africa.”

The Prime Minister also said that India and Italy are unanimous that terrorism is a serious challenge to humanity and that the joint initiative of both sides against the financing of terrorism is an important example for the whole world.

“India and Italy have sent a clear signal that responsible democracies not only condemn terrorism but also take concrete steps to disrupt their financial networks,” he said.

“We have been in constant contact regarding Ukraine, West Asia and other tensions. India’s view is clear that all issues should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.

The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to work together on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), recognizing its transformative potential in reshaping and promoting global trade, connectivity and prosperity. They appreciated the preliminary discussions on the project and encouraged the first IMEC ministerial meeting to take concrete steps to advance the initiative in 2026.

Modi and Meloni agreed to enhance the mobility of students, researchers and skilled workers, especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sectors, and expand cooperation in skills development in line with labor market needs, including through a special joint statement of intent to facilitate the mobility of nurses from India to Italy.

The two Prime Ministers also welcomed the continued cooperation between the Italian Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organization and efforts to strengthen commercial space cooperation.

According to the joint declaration, Modi and Meloni strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism.

It said the two leaders reiterated their commitment to cooperate in the fight against terrorists and terrorist groups and their affiliates, including those listed in the UN Security Council 1267 sanctions regime.

“They called on all countries to continue working to eliminate terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupt terrorist networks and combat terrorist financing, in line with the Financial Action Task Force’s guidance,” the joint statement said.

The two leaders welcomed the finalization of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Italian Guardia di Finanza and the Law Enforcement Directorate of India and looked forward to the early conclusion of another agreement on the exchange and mutual protection of classified information.