ROME / NEW DELHI — India and Italy have elevated their bilateral relations to a Special Strategic Partnership following a bilateral summit in Rome, issuing a joint declaration outlining long-term cooperation across defense procurement, supply chain resilience, advanced artificial intelligence, and clean energy transition.
Defense and Strategic Security Synergy
The joint declaration establishes a formal framework for bilateral security collaboration, joint exercises, and defense industrial co-production. Both governments affirmed their dedication to open and secure maritime corridors in the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean, recognizing the critical role of multilateral stability in securing global maritime trade.
Italian defense manufacturing units will expand collaborative arrangements with Indian defense public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and private aerospace firms under the Make in India initiative, focusing on high-altitude rotorcraft components, avionics maintenance, and maritime surveillance sensors.
Trade and Economic Corridors
Bilateral trade between India and Italy surpassed €15 billion over the preceding fiscal period. Under the declaration, both nations will streamline non-tariff barriers, establish regular commercial dispute roundtables, and support direct investments in pharmaceuticals, automotive engineering, and agro-processing.
The leaders also underscored the strategic importance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), noting that robust rail, port, and digital connections between South Asia, the Gulf, and European ports will significantly lower cargo transit durations and enhance supply chain diversification.
Frontier Technology, AI and Critical Minerals
India and Italy committed to collaborative research programs across artificial intelligence governance, high-performance computing, and semiconductor supply chains. Bilateral research hubs will link premier institutions from both nations to accelerate machine-learning applications in precision agriculture, smart logistics, and urban environmental monitoring.
A joint working group on critical raw materials and rare-earth supply chains was also formalized to secure access to essential minerals required for battery manufacturing and clean energy grids.
Multilateral Coordination and Global Governance
Both New Delhi and Rome highlighted their aligned viewpoints in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, G20, and International Solar Alliance. The partnership places specific emphasis on practical, rules-based international orders and inclusive economic resilience for the Global South.
