PM Modi's Italy Visit: India–Italy Relations Elevated to Special Strategic Partnership; Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 Adopted | Current Affairs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Rome, Italy on 19–20 May 2026 — the final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour — and held delegation-level talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The two leaders announced the elevation of India–Italy bilateral ties to a Special Strategic Partnership, described as the highest level ever reached between the two nations. A Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 was adopted to provide a long-term, time-bound framework for cooperation. Both sides set an ambitious bilateral trade target of 20 billion euros by 2029, up from the current figure of approximately 14 billion euros. Over 400 Italian companies are already operating in India. Several key agreements were signed, including an India–Italy Defence Industrial Roadmap for co-design, co-development and co-production of defence equipment, a Joint Declaration of Intent on Defence Industrial Cooperation, an MoU between India's Enforcement Directorate and Italy's Guardia di Finanza for financial crime cooperation, and an MoU on critical minerals cooperation between India's Ministry of Mines and Italy's Ministry of Enterprises. Both leaders also discussed the recently concluded India–EU Free Trade Agreement and its potential to further accelerate bilateral trade.

Background: India and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1947. PM Modi's visit to Rome followed previous high-level engagements — PM Meloni had visited India for the G20 Summit in 2023, and PM Modi had visited Italy for the G7 Summit in June 2024. The visit comes in the backdrop of India's growing strategic convergence with Europe. Italy is a founding member of both NATO and the European Union. India–Italy cooperation spans defence, space, energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, critical minerals, maritime, tourism and culture.

Key Points to Remember:

Visit: PM Modi to Italy (Rome) — 19–20 May 2026 (5th and final leg of 5-nation tour)
Italian PM: Giorgia Meloni
Bilateral upgrade: India–Italy Special Strategic Partnership
Framework adopted: Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029
Trade target: 20 billion euros by 2029 (current: ~14 billion euros)
Italian companies in India: 400+
Key agreements signed:
- India–Italy Defence Industrial Roadmap
- Joint Declaration of Intent on Defence Industrial Cooperation
- MoU: Enforcement Directorate (India) ↔ Guardia di Finanza (Italy) — financial crimes
- MoU: Critical Minerals — India's Ministry of Mines ↔ Italy's Ministry of Enterprises
5-nation tour sequence: UAE → Netherlands → Sweden → Norway → Italy
India–Italy diplomatic relations since: 1947

Related Static GK:

Italy Capital: Rome
Italy Currency: Euro
Italian PM: Giorgia Meloni (took office: October 2022)
Italy is a member of: NATO, European Union, G7, G20
Guardia di Finanza: Italy's financial police — handles tax evasion, money laundering, financial crime
India's Enforcement Directorate (ED): Investigates financial crimes, money laundering; under Ministry of Finance
G7 members: USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada (+ EU as non-enumerated member)
India–EU FTA: Concluded January 2026; to be signed by end of 2026