With a focus on trade investments and attracting Indian industry and tourists to Italy, accompanied by a high level delegation, the Prime Minister of Italy Prof Giuseppe Conte is arriving month end. Space technology and innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence among others areas of interest is the focus of the Italian leader’s visit to India

by Huma Siddiqui

With a focus on trade investments and attracting Indian industry and tourists to Italy, accompanied by a high level delegation, the Prime Minister of Italy Prof Giuseppe Conte is arriving month end. Space technology and innovation, robotics, artificial intelligence among others areas of interest is the focus of the Italian leader’s visit to India.

In his maiden visit to India after taking office in June 2018, who is coming at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will hold bilateral talks Oct 30 on wide range of issues including the increase in trade and investment and defence.

Though the visit will be part of the ongoing celebrations to commemorate 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Italy, the visiting Prime Minister will also to participate in the 24th edition of the DST-CII India-Italy Technology Summit 2018, where Italy is the Partner Country.

At the Technology summit organised by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) focus will be on joint ventures, R&D, technology transfer, the summit will focus on seven sectors including clean tech, Renewable, ICT, Healthcare, Aerospace, Education and Cultural Heritage.

Talking to FE Online, former ambassador to Italy, Anil Wadhwa said that, “Giuseppe Conte, the prime minister heading a right wing government in Italy and the significance of the visit lies in the fact that this is the second prime ministerial visit from Italy to India in the space of less than a year.”

According to Wadhwa, “Italy is an important member of the European Union and an important trade partner of India. More than 600 Italian companies are active in India and the Italian industry sectors and looking to forge partnerships with India in the food processing, alternate energy, clean water technologies, waste management , fashion design and luxury segments besides innovation and start-ups.”

“Italian industrial set up is similar to that of India with a large number of small and medium industries which can fit into the Indian set up easily: in terms of defence technologies and science Italy and India can collaborate further,” the former secretary MEA added.

Another former diplomat pointed out that the two countries are very close defence partners, as the European nation has the finest defence technologies in the world and companies from both sides can get into ventures under Prime Minister Modi’s `Make in India’ program.

Italy is India’s 5th largest trading partner in the EU with annual bilateral trade turnover at $ 10.4 billion (2017-18). The presence of over 600 Italian companies in India is an important link binding the economies. Indian companies are also investing and acquiring units in Italy.

According to the MEA, the DST-CII India-Italy Technology Summit will be attended by representatives of government, industry, academia, research institutes, scientific community and related agencies from India and Italy.