India-Italy upgrade ties to 'Special Strategic Partnership'; seal defence roadmap amid global upheavals

New Delhi: India and Italy agreed on a roadmap for defence industrial cooperation and inked pacts for cooperation in maritime transport and exploration of critical minerals, as Narendra Modi and Giorgia Meloni – the prime ministers of the two nations – met in Rome on Wednesday and elevated the bilateral relations to a special strategic partnership.

The two governments made a joint declaration of intent on the facilitation of mobility of nurses from India to Italy. The prime ministers welcomed the discussions between relevant agencies of India and Italy to conclude a Social Security Agreement in the future.

Modi and Meloni set the target to raise the bilateral trade from the current annual level of €14 billion ($15.2 billion) to €20 billion ($21.7 billion) by 2029.

“Close cooperation in the fields of defence and security is a symbol of our deep mutual trust,” Modi said as he and Meloni addressed journalists after the meeting. "Not only between our armed forces, but cooperation between the defence industries of both countries is also increasing. Our roadmap for defence industrial cooperation clears the way for co-development and co-production,” said the prime minister, who flew from Oslo to Rome late on Tuesday for the last leg of his five-nation tour.

Modi and Meloni agreed on the defence industrial roadmap less than four months after Adani Defence and Aerospace signed an MoU with Leonardo S.p.A of Italy, to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India. The collaboration between the two companies would particularly focus on delivering phased indigenisation, robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, and comprehensive pilot training for Leonardo's advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters to meet the requirements of the armed forces of India.

The roadmap for defence industrial cooperation will promote partnerships for technological cooperation, co-production and co-development projects, including helicopters, naval platforms, marine armament and electronic warfare, according to a joint statement issued after the Modi-Meloni meeting. The two leaders also recognized the importance of protecting critical infrastructures and their related supply chains through the strengthening of industrial resilience.

“As maritime powers, close cooperation between India and Italy in the field of connectivity is natural. Together, we will work on shipping, port modernization, logistics, and the blue economy,” Modi said after meeting Meloni in Rome.  

India’s Enforcement Directorate inked a deal with Italy’s Guardia di Finanza for curbing tax crimes, money laundering and terror financing.

Modi noted that Technology and innovation were the engines of the partnership between India and Italy. “There are immense possibilities for cooperation in areas such as AI, quantum technology, space, and civil nuclear energy. We are working on an India-Italy Innovation Centre to connect startups, research centres, and industries of both countries.”

“India's size, digital infrastructure, and innovative dynamism combine very well with Italy's industrial strength, manufacturing excellence, and technological integration capabilities,” Meloni said, adding: “This integration clearly opens up opportunities for business, investment, quality employment, and industrial collaboration, and we are determined to fully explore all these opportunities.” 

The two prime ministers reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), recognising its transformational potential in reshaping and promoting global trade, connectivity and prosperity. Appreciating the preliminary discussions around the project, they agreed to hold the first IMEC ministerial meeting to take concrete steps for advancing this initiative in 2026.

Modi said that India and Italy remained in continuous contact regarding Ukraine, West Asia, and other tensions. “India’s position is clear: all problems should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said, after meeting Meloni.

“Italy and India obviously share a common vision on many of the great challenges of our time: international stability, the defence of rules, economic security, the resilience of value chains, the promotion of peace, and inclusive development,” the prime minister of Italy said. She said that she and her counterpart from India discussed many of the complex scenarios of the world. “On Ukraine, our commitment to achieving a just and lasting peace, and, on the Iranian crisis, we shared hope that the peace negotiations can move forward and find a positive outcome.”