Expanding with Unprecedented Momentum, India-Italy Relationship in Decisive Phase: PM Modi, Meloni

Rome, May 20 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, on Wednesday said that India and Italy can effectively address common global challenges by building upon the deep strategic partnership and longstanding cultural ties while placing people at the centre of a future-oriented bilateral relationship.

Prime Minister Modi shared that he has penned a joint op-ed with Giorgia Meloni, detailing how the bilateral relations between India and Italy have reached a decisive stage.

He noted that the bond shared between the two countries is a Special Strategic Partnership and highlighted that this robust relationship is firmly driven by innovation, shared democratic values, and a common vision for the future.

"Penned an op-ed with PM Meloni on how India-Italy ties have reached a decisive stage. Ours is a Special Strategic Partnership driven by innovation, shared democratic values and a common vision for the future," he wrote on X.

In their joint article, both leaders emphasised that ties between the two countries have entered a transformative phase.

“In recent years, our ties have expanded with unprecedented momentum, evolving from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership grounded in the values of freedom and democracy, and a common vision for the future,” the two leaders wrote.

They highlighted that India and Italy are working towards elevating their partnership through sustained political engagement, institutional cooperation and broader strategic alignment.

“At a time when the international system is undergoing a profound change, the partnership between Italy and India is guided by regular exchanges at higher political and institutional levels, and is gaining a new and higher dimension that combines our economic dynamism, societal creativity, and millennia-old civilisational wisdom,” the leaders stated.

They underlined that both nations share a common understanding that future prosperity and security will depend on innovation, energy transition and strategic sovereignty.

“Our cooperation mirrors our shared awareness that prosperity and security in the 21st century will be shaped by the ability of nations to innovate, manage energy transitions, and strengthen strategic sovereignty. To this end, we have committed to deepen and diversify our bilateral relationship with a view to pursuing new objectives and pooling our complementary strengths,” the article read.

PM Modi and Meloni further said that India and Italy are aiming to create a “powerful synergy” by combining Italy’s strengths in design, manufacturing and supercomputing with India’s rapid economic growth, engineering talent and innovation-driven startup ecosystem.

“This is not a simple integration, but a co-creation of value where our respective industrial strengths amplify one another,” they wrote.

The two leaders also highlighted the significance of the Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union, stating that it would pave the way for stronger bilateral trade and investment ties.

“We want to reach and exceed the Euro 20 billion target for trade between Italy and India by 2029, with a focus on defence and aerospace, clean technologies, machinery, automotive components, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, agri-food, tourism and more,” the leaders wrote.

Referring to industrial collaboration, they said the global reputation of 'Made in Italy' aligns naturally with India’s 'Make in India' initiative.

“Made in Italy has always been synonymous with excellence worldwide, and today it finds a natural synergy with the high-quality goals of the Make in India initiative,” they said.

The leaders also noted the growing industrial presence of businesses from both countries.

“In this context, the growing interest of Italian businesses in the production for India and the increasing presence of Indian industries in Italy, numbering over 1,000 from both sides now, is a positive sign that will strengthen the integration of our supply chains,” they added.

Technology and innovation were described as central pillars of the India-Italy partnership. The leaders said sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals and digital infrastructure would define the next phase of global transformation.

“India’s dynamic innovation ecosystem, coupled with a highly skilled professional talent pool, and Italy’s advanced industrial capabilities, make our cooperation in the above sectors both natural and strategic. The growing partnership between our universities and research centres will support this,” the article stated.

The op-ed also emphasised collaboration in the field of Artificial Intelligence, particularly with a focus on responsible, ethical and human-centric technological development.

“From this perspective, India and Italy also see AI as a powerful instrument for inclusive development, especially for the Global South, where digital public infrastructure and accessible, multilingual technologies can bridge divides rather than deepen them,” the leaders wrote.

They referred to India’s concept of 'MANAV', which places human beings at the centre of technology, alongside Italy’s promotion of human-centric “algor-ethics”.

“Building on India’s vision of MANAV-putting human at the centre of technology and Italy’s leadership in promoting a human-centric ‘algor-ethics’ rooted in its humanist tradition, our partnership seeks to ensure that AI acts as a catalyst for social empowerment,” they said.

The article stressed that technological development must not undermine democratic values or individual freedoms.

“Conceiving AI as a tool created by humans for humans means firmly asserting that technology cannot replace individuals or undermine their fundamental rights, nor be used to manipulate public debate or alter democratic processes. Our approach to defending freedom and human dignity in an increasingly interconnected world hinges on this very challenge,” the leaders stated.

The two Prime Ministers also highlighted expanding cooperation in the space sector, noting that India’s advances in satellite technology and space exploration complement Italy’s expertise in aerospace engineering.

“India’s impressive advancements in space exploration and satellite technology, together with Italy’s aerospace engineering excellence, offer significant opportunities for joint initiatives and next-generation technology development,” the article said.

On defence and security cooperation, the leaders said both countries intend to deepen collaboration in strategic technologies, maritime security and counter-terrorism.

“Our collaboration will help ensure the security of critical maritime routes, strengthen resilience in the face of threats, such as terrorism, international criminal networks, drug trafficking, cyber-crimes and human trafficking,” they wrote.

Energy cooperation was identified as another important pillar of the India-Italy relationship, with both nations working together in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, resilient infrastructure and smart grids.

While highlighting India’s growing role in green hydrogen production, the leaders said the country’s ambitions complement Italy’s expertise in renewable infrastructure and its strategic importance as an energy gateway to Europe.

The article also referred to cooperation under India-led global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Global Biofuels Alliance.

The two leaders further emphasised the growing importance of connectivity between the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean regions, saying the two spaces are increasingly interconnected.

“Both India and Italy are located at the very heart of two crucial hubs of the global economy, the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean regions that cannot be viewed as separate spheres, but instead as increasingly interconnected spaces,” they stated.

They described the emergence of what they termed the “Indo-Mediterranean” corridor as an important strategic and economic link connecting the Indian Ocean to Europe through trade, energy, technology and data flows.

The leaders also highlighted the significance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, calling it a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening transport, infrastructure, energy and digital connectivity between regions.

In the concluding section of the article, PM Modi and Meloni said, “We can address our shared challenges by drawing upon the profound partnership and the enduring cultural ties between our nations,” they wrote.

Referring to Indian philosophical traditions, the leaders said concepts such as “Dharma” and “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” resonate strongly in today’s interconnected world and find a natural parallel in Italy’s humanist traditions shaped by the Renaissance.

“Our shared vision, therefore, aims to lay the foundation for a strong and forward-looking India-Italy partnership with our people at the centre,” the two leaders stated in the joint op-ed.