Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni have said the relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive stage, evolving from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership.
In an article jointly written by the two leaders for the Indian and Italian media, Modi and Meloni said that at a time when the international system is undergoing a profound change, the partnership between the two countries is guided by regular exchanges at higher political and institutional levels.
"The relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive stage. 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," they said.
Meloni hosted Narendra Modi for dinner and accompanied him on a visit to the iconic Colosseum ahead of their formal talks aimed at further boosting India-Italy ties.
“Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner, followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects,” Modi said in a social media post.
The prime minister said he was looking forward to formal talks with Meloni on Wednesday to continue discussions on ways to "boost the India-Italy friendship".
In the jointly written article, the two leaders said the cooperation between India and Italy mirrors the 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.
"We aim to forge a powerful synergy between Italian design, manufacturing excellence, and world-class supercomputers- reflecting Italy's position as an industrial powerhouse — and India's rapid economic growth, engineering talent, scale, and innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem with over 100 unicorns and 200,000 start-ups," they said.
They said the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India paves the way for increased trade and investment in both directions.
"We want to reach and exceed the Euro 20 billion target for trade between Italy and India by 2029, with a focus on defence & aerospace, clean technologies, machinery, automotive components, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, agri-food, tourism and more," they said.
In the article, Modi and Meloni said "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.
The growing interest of Italian businesses in the production of goods for India and the increasing presence of Indian industries in Italy, numbering over 1,000 from both sides, is a positive sign that will strengthen the integration of our supply chains, they said.
They said India's dynamic innovation ecosystem, coupled with a highly skilled professional talent pool, and Italy's advanced industrial capabilities, make the cooperation in the above sectors both natural and strategic.
"The growing partnership between our Universities and Research Centres will support this. India's Digital Public Infrastructure is already finding resonance with a large number of countries, particularly in the Global South," they said.
The leaders highlighted how AI, in particular, is already impacting societies and the global economy, and Italy and India have long been collaborating to ensure that its development is responsible and human-centred.
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, they said.
"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.
Modi and Meloni said the India-Italy cooperation also covers the space sector, and India's impressive advancements in space exploration and satellite technology, together with Italy's aerospace engineering excellence, offer significant opportunities for next-generation technology development.
They said Italy and India intend to further strengthen their cooperation in sectors such as defence, security and strategic technologies.
"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 said.
The leaders said energy is another key pillar of our partnership, and the global transition towards diversified energy sources requires innovation, investment, and cooperation.
"Our collaboration along with other countries in key India-led initiatives — International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) -- is also important in this context," they said.
They said the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) represents a vision aimed at connecting our regions through modern transport and infrastructure, digital networks, energy systems, and resilient supply chains. India and Italy are also committed to working together with other partners to make this vision a reality.
"We can address our shared challenges by drawing upon the profound partnership and the enduring cultural ties between our nations," they said.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a social media post said on arrival in Rome, PM Modi received an energetic and warm welcome by the vibrant Indian community in Italy.
In another post, Modi shared details of his interaction with Italian painter Giampaolo Tomassetti, who presented him with his work on Varanasi.
He said Tomassetti's "passion for Indian culture goes back over four decades".
"In the 1980s, he started as an illustrator for books on Vedic culture. From 2008 to 2013, he worked on 23 large paintings relating to the Mahabharat," Modi said.
The prime minister also noted that Indian music is getting "very popular" in Italy.
"During the community welcome in Rome last evening, five Italian artistes performed the Hamsadhwani. Compliments to Mr. Valerio Bruni (Santoor), Mr. Leo Vertunni (Sitar), Mr. Simone Mattiello (Bansuri), Mr. Francesco Gherardi (Tabla) and Mr. Nicolo Mellochi (Bansuri)," Modi said in another post.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a social media post said on arrival in Rome, PM Modi received an energetic and warm welcome by the vibrant Indian community in Italy.
The prime minister, he said, witnessed colourful performances including Kathak, Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam by Italian artists.
"The reception also included a soulful rendering of Indian classical music by Italian musicians. The enchanting display of Santoor, Tabla, Bansuri and Sitar showcased the richness of India's musical legacy," the spokesperson said.