On the sidelines of the G20 Summit, India and Italy have launched a landmark four-year (2025-29) joint strategic action plan to boost partnership in 10 sectors.
Key-highlights
The action plan 2025-29 identified 10 specific pillars for advancing bilateral engagement that included economic cooperation and investments, energy transition, space, defence, security, migration and mobility, people-to-people exchanges.
The outcome was a set of initiatives designed to enhance collaboration over the next five years.
India and Italy also agreed to cooperate on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing connectivity and trade between India, the Middle East, and Europe.
This corridor has the potential to significantly improve regional trade links and boost economic activity.
The two sides will focus on sustainable transport and maritime infrastructure, with plans to finalize agreements related to port cooperation. Strengthening these trade routes will benefit not only India and Italy but also the broader region.
India-Italy Relations
India and Italy are ancient civilizations with rich cultural heritage. Diplomatic relations between India and Italy were established in 1947.
In 2023, both countries celebrated the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations.
Trade relations:Italy, a key member of the European Union (EU) is a major trade partner of India.Italy is India’s fourth-largest trading partner in the EU.
Indian exports to Italy include organic products, clothing, pharmaceuticals, and automotive parts.
Indian companies in Italy operate in IT, electronics, and engineering sectors, while over 600 Italian companies are active in India, spanning diverse industries.
International forums:Italy collaborates with India in various international forums, including the:
International Court of Justice
UNESCO
International Maritime Organization.
Alignment on key global initiatives:Additionally, Italy has joined several India-led global initiatives, such as the:
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)