**Executive Summary**
On May 20, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met in Rome to elevate the India-Italy relationship to a "Special Strategic Partnership." The leaders established a bilateral trade target of Euro 20 billion by 2029 and agreed to a Foreign Minister-level mechanism to review the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029. Key upcoming milestones include the celebration of 2027 as the "Year of Culture and Tourism" and the implementation of an Industrial Roadmap for defense co-production.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Strategic and Institutional Framework**
* Elevation of bilateral ties to a "Special Strategic Partnership."
* Agreement to hold annual leader-level meetings and regular ministerial/institutional dialogues.
* Establishment of a Foreign Minister-level mechanism to monitor the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029.
**Economic and Infrastructure Collaboration**
* Commitment to expand bilateral trade to Euro 20 billion by 2029.
* Call for early implementation of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
* Reaffirmed commitment to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
* Focus on sectors including digital transition, energy transition, infrastructure, and logistics.
**Defense and Security**
* Signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent and an Industrial Roadmap for defense products.
* Shift in focus toward the co-design, co-development, and co-production of military hardware.
* Continued bilateral and multilateral cooperation to combat terrorism and its financing.
**Science, Technology, and Space**
* Strengthening of commercial space collaboration between ISRO and the Italian Space Agency.
* Focus on cutting-edge fields: AI, semiconductors, critical minerals, and research innovation.
* Emphasis on synergizing India’s workforce with Italy’s technological capabilities.
**Culture and Mobility**
* Designation of 2027 as the "Year of Culture and Tourism between India and Italy."
* Signing of an MoU for the recruitment of Indian nurses to Italy.
* Agreement to facilitate the mobility of students, researchers, and academia.
* MoU regarding the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian and Italian Government/Diplomats**
**Impact**
The relationship is now a "Special Strategic Partnership," requiring higher-frequency engagement.
**Action Required**
Must establish the Foreign Minister-level review mechanism and organize annual leadership summits.
**Defense Industry (India and Italy)**
**Impact**
The focus has shifted from simple procurement to an Industrial Roadmap for co-development.
**Action Required**
Private and public defense firms must align their strategies with the new Industrial Roadmap for co-design and co-production.
**Healthcare Professionals (Indian Nurses)**
**Impact**
A formal legal framework now exists for the recruitment of Indian nurses to Italy.
**Action Required**
Interested nursing professionals should monitor official channels for recruitment protocols established under the new MoU.
**Space and Tech Agencies (ISRO/ISA)**
**Impact**
Enhanced mandate for commercial space collaboration and research in critical technologies like semiconductors and AI.
**Action Required**
Agencies must implement joint projects and research initiatives as outlined in the bilateral discussions.
**Tourism and Cultural Sectors**
**Impact**
Both countries will see increased promotion and exchange initiatives leading up to 2027.
**Action Required**
Relevant ministries must begin planning programs and events for the 2027 "Year of Culture and Tourism."
Key Entities Referenced
Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029: The core framework for expanding India-Italy bilateral cooperation across domains including trade, defense, AI, and space.
India - Middle East - Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): A strategic connectivity infrastructure project aimed at linking India with Europe through the Middle East.
India-EU Free Trade Agreement: A key economic agreement targeted for early implementation to help reach a bilateral trade goal of Euro 20 billion by 2029.
National Maritime Heritage Complex (Lothal, Gujarat): A specific infrastructure and cultural project identified for bilateral development cooperation.
Joint Declaration of Intent: An industrial roadmap established for bilateral collaboration in the co-design, co-development, and co-production of defence products.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister meets with Prime Minister of Italy
Posted On: 20 MAY 2026 7:21PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held official talks with Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, H.E.
Ms. Giorgia Meloni in Rome on May 20, 2026.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the strong momentum of high-level exchanges and excellent growth
and diversification of bilateral cooperation. They decided to elevate the India -Italy Strategic Partnership
to the level of Special Strategic Partnership. They also agreed to hold annual meetings of leaders,
including on the sidelines of multilateral events, as well as regular Ministerial and institutional-level
meetings.
The two leaders engaged in comprehensive discussions covering the entire gamut of the India-Italy
partnership. Both leaders reviewed the progress made in bilateral cooperation across all domains of the
Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029. Both leaders agreed to further expand collaboration in trade and
investment, defence and security, science and technology, research and innovation, space, energy, AI and
critical technologies, education, culture and people-to-people ties. They decided to establish a Foreign
Minister level mechanism to regularly review Joint Strategic Action Plan.
The leaders took note of the renewed momentum in bilateral economic and commercial ties, growing
investments and efforts to build long-term collaborations. In this context, they welcomed the exchange of
three Business Forums last year. They also met select Italian and Indian CEOs representing sectors such as
defence, digital, energy transition, infrastructure and logistics. Noting the shared objective of expanding
bilateral trade to Euro 20 billion by 2029, both leaders agreed to leverage the opportunities from the India-
EU Free Trade Agreement and called for its early implementation.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction on deepening defence cooperation through Ministerial and official
interactions, exchange of port visits and regular engagement of defence forces. They welcomed the
signing of Joint Declaration of Intent, an Industrial Roadmap for collaboration in co-design, co-
development and co-production of defence products.
The leaders expressed satisfaction on growing engagements between researchers and scientific institutions
from both countries. They welcomed ongoing collaboration between the Italian Space Agency and the
Indian Space Research Organisation, and efforts to strengthen commercial space collaboration. They also
called for greater collaboration in the fields of AI, Semiconductors, critical minerals and other cutting-
edge technologies, synergising India’s talented workforce and Italy’s technological prowess.
Reiterating their strong commitment to combat the scourge of terrorism, both leaders agreed to continue
cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels. They expressed satisfaction at the implementation of Joint
Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism adopted in November 2025.Both leaders acknowledged the valuable contribution of the Indian diaspora in Italy and agreed to
facilitate mobility of students, researchers and academia. They agreed to celebrate 2027 as the "Year of
Culture and Tourism between India and Italy”. They welcomed the signing of MoUs between India and
Italy on cooperation on development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat and
on recruitment of nurses from India.
Both leaders expressed their keen desire to build connectivity infrastructure through concrete projects and
reaffirmed their commitment for the implementation of the India - Middle East - Europe Economic
Corridor (IMEC).
The two leaders also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest, including
developments in the Indo-Pacific, India-EU relations, and the conflicts in West Asia and Europe. Prime
Minister underscored the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for peaceful resolution of the ongoing
conflicts.
Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Meloni for the warm hospitality extended by the government and
the people of the Italian Republic and invited Prime Minister Meloni to visit India at a mutually
convenient time.
***
MJPS/SS/PRK
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