New Delhi: India and Italy have decided to elevate their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, opening a new chapter on defence cooperation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Thursday after holding comprehensive talks with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.
On a two-day state visit, her first after being elected as Prime Minister last year, Meloni also announced that Italy was joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative as the two nations celebrate the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations.
Addressing the media after wide-ranging talks with the visiting Italian Prime Minister, Modi said new opportunities were opening up in India in the sector of co-production and co-development, which can be beneficial for both countries.
Modi invited Italian defence companies to actively participate in the Make in India initiative.
“This year India and Italy are celebrating the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations. On this occasion, we have decided to elevate the India-Italy partnership to the status of a strategic partnership,” Modi said with the Italian prime minister by his side.
Modi said the two countries have also decided to hold joint exercises and training courses between the armed forces of the two countries on a regular basis.
The two sides also agreed to work to counter irregular migration and human trafficking.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in the field of space and welcomed bilateral exchanges and took stock of the wide potential of possible joint research projects in areas such as remote sensing, satellite communication, lunar exploration, gravitational wave detection and practical applications of space technology between ISRO and ASI Italy.
“With the legacy issues behind us, the door is now open for industries to cooperate more strongly, particularly in the field of manufacturing, co-production, co-design and co-innovation,” he said.
The ties between Italy and India had nosedived after New Delhi’s move to jail two Italian marines for allegedly killing unarmed fishermen off the southern Indian coast in 2012 and the controversial deal to buy Agusta Westland helicopters for VVIPs.