Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, convened in New Delhi to discuss and review progress on the Italy-India Joint Strategic Action Plan for 2025-2029.

The meeting, held on Wednesday, underscored the deepening ties and ongoing cooperation between the two nations across multiple sectors.

Tajani, who is on a three-day official visit to India, is accompanied by a substantial business delegation. His visit emphasises Italy’s intent to broaden and strengthen economic collaboration with India.

Both leaders expressed satisfaction over the proactive measures taken by their governments to implement key initiatives outlined in the Strategic Action Plan.

Prime Minister Modi took to X to share insights about the discussion, expressing his delight at meeting Tajani. Modi highlighted the comprehensive scope of the Strategic Action Plan, which includes critical areas like trade, investment, research, innovation, defence, space exploration, connectivity, counter-terrorism, education, and people-to-people relations.

He reaffirmed that the growing friendship between India and Italy continues to bring significant benefits not only to their own populations but also to the global community.

On the security and strategic front, Tajani had separate meetings with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. These engagements helped to further elevate the strategic dialogue between India and Italy.

Minister Jaishankar detailed on X that the review covered the plan’s advancements across politics, defence, technology, innovation, maritime affairs, mobility, space, trade, and investment.

Jaishankar underscored that the partnership is firmly rooted in shared democratic values and a mutual dedication to global peace and stability. He expressed gratitude for Italy’s solidarity following the recent terror attack in New Delhi, illustrating the close ties in counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

The discussions also built upon previous initiatives, particularly the joint efforts to curb terror financing announced during Modi’s meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the G20 Summit. 

Jaishankar reiterated that Italy remains one of India’s closest partners in counterterrorism, including coordination within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Beyond bilateral security and economic concerns, both sides exchanged perspectives on significant regional and global issues. These included dynamics in West Asia and ongoing developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, reflecting the growing geopolitical dimension of India-Italy relations.

Looking ahead to economic collaboration, Tajani is scheduled to meet India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Mumbai, where discussions will focus on deepening trade and investment links. 

Minister Jaishankar praised Tajani’s proactive role in advancing the economic roadmap within the 2025-2029 Action Plan, signalling Italy’s leadership in furthering this strategic partnership.

This high-level engagement reinforces the comprehensive and multifaceted nature of the India-Italy relationship, encompassing strategic, economic, security, and diplomatic cooperation as both countries work towards shared goals on the regional and global stage.

Based On ANI Report