New Delhi, 19 November 2024: India and Italy have announced a five-year Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, focusing on cooperation in space, science, technology, defence, and economic development. The initiative, unveiled after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, aims to deepen bilateral ties across diverse sectors.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated the action plan seeks to drive focused, time-bound initiatives across critical domains. “Both sides agreed to intensify engagement at the political level and encourage increased interactions among ministries to strengthen partnerships in shared areas of interest,” the MEA noted.
Economic cooperation will receive a significant boost through the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation and the Italy-India Joint Working Group on Food Processing. The plan prioritizes expanding bilateral trade, market access, and investment. Key focus areas include transportation, agricultural products, chemical-pharmaceuticals, green technologies, sustainable mobility, and advanced manufacturing. The strategy also envisions joint ventures and co-production in critical sectors.
The plan incorporates initiatives to strengthen industrial and technological collaboration in semiconductors, automotive, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. Collaboration on critical and emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, telecom, and digitalization of services—will feature prominently. Both nations will also explore partnerships in clean energy, critical minerals, and technology value chains, leveraging contributions from academia and industries.
A notable addition is the Indo-Italian Innovation and Incubation Exchange Programme, designed to foster scientific innovation and build incubation ecosystems in academic and research institutions. The Executive Programme for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (2025-27) will support joint research and mobility projects, set to launch later this year.
Space collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Italian Space Agency will expand to include Earth observation, heliophysics, and lunar science. Plans for mutual commercial ventures involving space industries are also underway. A delegation of Italian space industry representatives is expected to visit India by mid-2025, focusing on research, exploration, and business opportunities.
On defence, Italy’s growing interest in the Indo-Pacific aligns with India’s strategic goals. Both nations will negotiate a defence industrial roadmap, fostering co-production and co-development of platforms and equipment. The plan includes a proposed memorandum of understanding between the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers and Italy’s Aerospace, Defence, and Security Federation to boost interoperability and industrial collaboration.
Migration and labour mobility also form a part of the agreement. A pilot project will facilitate the training of Indian health professionals, paving the way for their employment in Italy. Transparent recruitment practices and safe migration channels will be promoted as part of this initiative.
Additionally, both countries seek to enhance cultural ties by increasing film co-productions and encouraging filmmaking in their respective regions.
The ambitious roadmap reflects the shared vision of India and Italy to strengthen their partnership and explore new avenues of collaboration.
