Historical context:
India and Italy share a long relationship that dates to ancient times. In the past Indian traders had established trade relations with Rome through the Silk Road which led to the exchange of goods such as spices and textiles. In recent times, the contact between India and Italy was further strengthened by intellectual exchanges between the two. For instance, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore visited Italy in 1926 when he was invited by Carlo Formichi, a Sanskrit Professor at the University of Rome. Mahatma Gandhi had also visited Rome in the year 1931. Overall, the historical connections, intellectual exchanges and shared experiences have contributed to the development of India and Italy’s relationship over time.[i]
Bilateral relations:
Political relations between India and Italy were first established in 1947, since then there have been various high-level visits and regular exchanges which have played a crucial role in strengthening the bilateral ties between the two countries. The most recent Head of state level visit was made by Prime Minister Meloni to India on March 2, 2023, following her victory in the Italian general elections in September 2022. These visits have served as a major platform for cooperation, dialogue, and the signing of various agreements between the two countries. They have also greatly helped strengthen political relations and have provided opportunities for the leaders of India and Italy to discuss shared interests, exchange perspectives and explore avenues for further cooperation.[ii]
In 2022, India and Italy witnessed a significant increase in bilateral trade (Euro 14.88 billion). Italy is India’s fourth largest trading partner in the European Union. Italy’s strengths in machinery, engineering, and fashion align well with India’s growing economy, leading to increased collaboration, trade, joint ventures, and investments.[iii] Indian companies belonging to the IT, electronics and engineering sectors are operating in Italy and over 600 Italian companies which include industries such as fashion, textile, automobile, infrastructure, and chemicals are established in India. The Indo-Italian Joint Economic Commission Cooperation (JCEC), established in 1976, has been instrumental in fostering economic ties between the two countries. The 21st JCEC was held virtually on July 9, 2021. Additionally, the first Indo-Italian High-Level Dialogue on Economic Relations occurred on October 28, 2020.
In 2021, General M.M. Naravane visited Italy, signifying an important interaction between military leaders. In 2023, Dr. Matteo Perego Di Cremnago led the Italian delegation at the Aero India Show, emphasizing Italy’s involvement in the defense sector. Italy also deployed an embassy official to the IFC-IOR to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.
India and Italy have also established cooperation in the field of science, technology, and innovation. The agreement signed in 2003 replaced the previous one from 1978 and facilitates joint research projects in various areas. Collaboration is monitored by the India-Italy Joint Committee, and specific agreements have been signed in audio-visual and executive programs of cooperation. The countries also hold annual Innovation Days to promote innovative partnerships.[iv]
Recent developments:
India and Italy have been jointly selected as the co-chairs of the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) for a three-year period beginning in 2024. The decision was made unanimously by all the members during the second meeting of the GPFI held under India’s G20 presidency.[v] Italian Prime Minister Meloni had also attended the Raisina Dialogue, India’s prominent annual geopolitical conference, as the distinguished guest in March 2023.
India and Italy had announced the elevation of their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership when Prime Minister Meloni visited India in March this year. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defense cooperation during the visit and Italy has also decided to join the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative (IPOI). Additionally, a Declaration of Intent (DOI) on migration and mobility was concluded and the India-Italy startup Bridge was established. Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Italy to participate in initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ while both emphasized on renewable energy, green hydrogen, IT, telecom, space, and other areas of focus. Cooperation in defense, space, cyber, and maritime domains were identified as specific strategic areas. The two countries also discussed joint exercises for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to enhance preparedness.[vi]
Italy had also announced a similar decision with Japan in the month of January this year, this highlights Italy’s growing interest in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also due to business reasons as the defense sector of India presents a variety of opportunities, hence we can also expect defense cooperation to be a crucial aspect of strategic partnership between the two countries. This would also be quite beneficial for India as we remain heavily dependent on Moscow for the supply of defense related equipment. It would be a slow process to reduce our dependence on Moscow, but this again would not lead to any major changes in its views or relationship towards Russia, but it is important for India to branch out in terms of its defense imports until it can develop its own defense technology and not heavily depend on one country.[vii] Overall, there seems to be a bright future for the development of relations on various fronts between these two countries.
[i] “India-Italy Relations,” Ministry of External Affairs, last modified April 8, 2014,
https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Italy_July_2014.pdf
[ii] “India-Italy Political Relations,” Embassy of India, last modified June 28, 2023, https://indianembassyrome.gov.in/page/india-italy-political-relations/
[iii] “Trade and Economic Relations,” Embassy of India, last modified June 28, 2023, https://indianembassyrome.gov.in/page/trade-and-economic-relations/
[iv] “India-Italy Political Relations,” Embassy of India, last modified June 28, 2023, https://indianembassyrome.gov.in/page/india-italy-political-relations/
[v] The Hindu Bureau, “India, Italy to be long term co-chairs of GPFI from 2024,” The Hindu, March 7, 2023, https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/india-italy-to-be-long-term-co-chairs-of-gpfi-from-2024/article66592919.ece
[vi] Dinakar Peri, “India, Italy elevate ties to strategic partnership, sign MoU on defence cooperation,” The Hindu, March 2, 2023, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-italy-elevate-ties-to-strategic-partnership-sign-mou-on-defence-cooperation/article66572174.ece
[vii] Dario Cristiani, “A New Chapter in India-Italy Relations?” The Diplomat, March 8, 2023, https://thediplomat.com/2023/03/a-new-chapter-in-india-italy-relations/
Authored by: Subiksha Velu, Research Intern, USI