The mango that broke a market
It is peak mango season in India. The Alphonso harvest is at its richest, the Kesar at its most fragrant.
India and Italy on Wednesday elevated their bilateral relationship to the level of a “Special Strategic Partnership” as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held high-level talks in Rome focused on expanding cooperation in trade, defence manufacturing, technology, clean energy, connectivity and global security.
Addressing a joint press briefing after the talks, Prime Minister Modi said that the growing frequency of engagement between the two leaders reflected the deepening trust and strategic alignment between New Delhi and Rome. “Over the past nearly three-and-a-half years, I have had several opportunities to meet Prime Minister Meloni. This reflects the close cooperation and harmony between India and Italy,” he pointed out.
“Under her leadership, our relations have gained new momentum, new direction, and renewed confidence. I am pleased that we are announcing a Special Strategic Partnership as we upgrade our ties,” he added.
The announcement marks a significant step in India’s expanding engagement with Europe amid shifting geopolitical alignments and growing emphasis on resilient supply chains, strategic manufacturing and trusted technology partnerships.
Modi said the two countries would combine Italy’s strength in design and precision engineering with India’s scale and innovation capabilities to jointly serve global markets. “Italy is known worldwide for design and precision. India is recognised as a powerhouse of scale, talent, and affordable innovation. Therefore, we will move forward on the principle of ‘Design and Develop in India and Italy and Deliver for the World’,” the Prime Minister said.
The talks covered a wide range of sectors, including defence cooperation, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, clean energy, logistics, shipping and infrastructure development. Modi said the India-Italy Defence Industrial Roadmap had opened avenues for co-development and co-production in the defence sector, indicating a stronger push toward industrial collaboration.
“As maritime powers, close cooperation between India and Italy in the field of connectivity is natural. Together, we will work on shipping, port modernisation, logistics, and the blue economy,” PM Modi said.
The two leaders also exchanged views on major international developments, including the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, while reaffirming their support for dialogue and diplomacy.
“We have remained in constant contact regarding Ukraine, West Asia, and other tensions. India’s position is clear that all problems should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” Modi said.
On counter-terrorism cooperation, both countries underlined the need for stronger international action against terror financing and extremist networks.
“India and Italy are united in the view that terrorism is a serious challenge for humanity. Our joint initiative against terror financing has set an important example before the world,” Modi said.
“India and Italy have sent a clear message that responsible democracies not only condemn terrorism, but also take concrete steps to dismantle its financial networks,” he added.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Rome on Tuesday night on the final leg of his five-nation tour and was accorded a ceremonial military honour ahead of his formal talks with Meloni. The Italian Prime Minister hosted a dinner for Modi shortly after his arrival and accompanied him on a visit to the iconic Colosseum, underscoring the warm personal rapport between the two leaders.
Ahead of the bilateral meeting, Modi also called on Italian President Sergio Mattarella and discussed expanding cooperation in trade, investment, cultural exchanges and advanced technologies.
In a post on social media platform X, Modi said, “Met President Sergio Mattarella in Rome. We discussed different aspects relating to the India-Italy friendship, including trade, investment and cultural linkages. We talked about how our nations can collaborate in areas such as AI, critical minerals, space and nuclear energy.”
The visit also focused on advancing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a major connectivity initiative aimed at enhancing trade and infrastructure links between India, the Middle East and Europe. Modi had earlier said the two sides would review the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, which outlines cooperation across multiple sectors.
India and Italy have seen steady growth in economic engagement in recent years. Bilateral trade reached 14.25 billion euros in 2025, with Indian exports accounting for 8.55 billion euros and Italian exports to India standing at 5.70 billion euros. The trade volume represented an increase of 9.42 per cent over 2024.
The two countries have now set an ambitious target of achieving annual bilateral trade of 20 billion euros by 2029. Italy is currently India’s fourth-largest trading partner within the European Union and has identified India as a priority country under its global trade strategy.
People-to-people ties also remain a significant pillar of the relationship. The Indian community in Italy, estimated at 1,86,833 as of January 2025, is the largest Indian diaspora group in the European Union, while more than 5,100 Indian students are studying at Italian universities.
The latest round of talks in Rome reflects India’s broader push to deepen strategic partnerships with key European nations as New Delhi seeks stronger economic integration, technology collaboration and geopolitical coordination with like-minded democracies.
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