Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh, has called for strengthening India-Italy collaborative research, emphasising that targeted research partnerships with leading global partners are essential for advancing innovation, transformation and skill development and enabling science-driven societies to make an impact on a global scale.
Addressing the concluding session of the Second India-Italy Science & Innovation Dialogue 2026 in Rome alongside Italian Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, Jitendra Singh said collaborative research was indispensable for taking scientific capabilities to the next level.
He emphasised the need for India and Italy to join hands in pursuing complementary and targeted research, leveraging the strengths of their respective scientific and innovation ecosystems. Congratulating the Indian and Italian delegates from academic institutions, research institutes, incubators and technology incubation hubs on their successful participation in the Second Edition of the Dialogue, the Minister expressed satisfaction at the engagement and the opportunities it offered for strengthening bilateral scientific cooperation. The Minister recalled that India-Italy relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2023, followed by the announcement of the Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) for 2025-2029 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in November 2024, providing a roadmap for strengthening bilateral cooperation. As a follow-up to the Joint Strategic Action Plan, an Italian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, along with Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, visited New Delhi in April 2025.
Recalling the longstanding foundation of scientific cooperation between the two countries, Jitendra Singh noted that the first Inter-governmental Agreement in Science & Technology between India and Italy was signed in 1978 and subsequently renewed on November 28, 2003.
The agreement envisages sharing experiences in national research, development and innovation policies and programmes, exchange of scientists and researchers, industrial research, joint research and development projects and joint workshops. The first India-Italy Science and Innovation Dialogue was held in New Delhi on April 11, 2025.