India and Italy are celebrating 75 years of establishing diplomatic relations. In order to strengthen the relations even further, both countries have elevated the bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
Factors strengthening India-Italy relations
- The trade between India and Italy has doubled in 2022 (from 2020) to 15 billion euros.
- In 2020, a five-year action plan has been adopted which focuses primarily on energy transition, food processing, advanced manufacturing, the creative industry and infrastructure of various kinds.
- Italy has joined multilateral initiatives promoted by India like the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Coalition for Disaster Relief Infrastructure, the International Solar Alliance etc.
- India and Italy are also collaborating in the field of culture and creative spheres like fashion, design and cinema etc.
- India and Italy are collaborating in the field of science and technology and have launched 13 new joint products.
- There has been a lot of movement of Indian students and workers in Italy and there are around 200,000 Indian living, working and studying in Italy (The highest in the EU).
- In the health sector, during the pandemic, the two countries have collaborated since the beginning with the exchange of experiences and practices, with humanitarian initiatives, and we have also promoted joint research projects.
- Now, the Joint Declaration approved in the last Summit affirms the commitment of the two governments to develop a strategic partnership that will also focus on sectors such as defence, cybersecurity, space and energy.
Way forward
- The enhancement of our relationship is part of a common vision for an Indo-Pacific based on respect for international law, freedom of navigation and territorial integrity.
- Finally, Italy intends to offer full support to the Indian Presidency of the G20. One of the ways it will do so is by contributing to the issues that were at the centre of Italy’s G20 Presidency in 2021. This includes debt service suspension, special drawing rights, finance and health track, and balance sheet optimisation of multilateral banks – that will help promote the agenda of the Global South in this G20, where India’s Presidency will further enhance these priorities.
- Italy is part of the Coffee Club and can support India’s candidature for the UNSC in future.
