India And Italy To Negotiate Defence Industrial Roadmap

New Delhi, Nov 20 (KNN) On November 18, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a significant bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where they outlined a bold vision for deepening cooperation in defence, security, trade, technology, and cultural exchange.

The result of their discussions was the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29, which sets the tone for a new era in India-Italy relations.

The two leaders agreed to negotiate a defence industrial roadmap, aimed at enhancing collaboration between their Ministries of Defence. 

A key feature of this roadmap will be a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers and Italy’s Industries Federation for Aerospace, Defence, and Security. 

The plan also includes fostering military-to-military exchanges and improving interoperability, particularly as Italy increases its strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific region. 

This follows growing defence engagements, including the historic maritime exercise conducted last month off India’s Goa coast, involving India’s INS Vikramaditya and Italy’s ITS Cavour.

In addition to defence, the action plan highlights strong ambitions in the maritime and port sectors, including mutual agreements on enhancing maritime pollution response and search-and-rescue operations. 

Both nations also aim to expand industrial partnerships, with particular emphasis on automotive, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing, as well as fostering closer cooperation in space exploration through the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

Migration and mobility were another crucial area of discussion. The leaders agreed to promote legal migration of skilled workers while addressing irregular migration issues. 

A pilot project will focus on training health professionals in India for employment opportunities in Italy.

This meeting marks a new chapter in India-Italy relations, emphasising mutual benefit and shared growth, and lays the groundwork for stronger bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors in the coming years.

(KNN Bureau)

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