India, Italy deepen strategic ties at foreign office consultations
India and Italy on Friday held the 9th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, reviewing their expanding strategic partnership and pushing for faster implementation of key agreements across trade, defence, technology and security cooperation.
The Indian delegation was led by Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Italian side was headed by Nicoletta Bombardiere, Director General for Globalisation and Global Issues at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The talks took place against the backdrop of sustained high-level political engagement between the two countries, including recent interactions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had also met Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in New Delhi in December last year.
During the consultations, both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and expressed satisfaction over progress under the India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan (2025–29). Key areas of engagement include trade and investment, defence and security, space, technology, renewable energy, research and innovation, as well as education and people-to-people exchanges.
In a significant push on counter-terror cooperation, India and Italy agreed to expedite the implementation of their joint initiative to counter the financing of terrorism, underlining their shared commitment to tackling global terror networks in a sustained manner.
The two sides also discussed plans to launch the first India-Italy Maritime Security Dialogue, aimed at strengthening cooperation in ensuring safety and stability across maritime domains — a move seen as increasingly relevant amid evolving geopolitical challenges.
Welcoming broader global developments, both countries expressed satisfaction over the growing European Union–India strategic partnership, including progress on the long-pending Free Trade Agreement negotiations. They also noted advancements in security and defence cooperation frameworks and mobility partnerships, and called for early finalisation and implementation of the India-EU FTA.
Regional and global issues, including developments in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia, also figured prominently in the discussions, reflecting converging interests in maintaining stability and rules-based order.
Both sides emphasised the importance of expanding collaboration in skill development and mobility, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, under the existing migration and mobility framework.
With bilateral ties on a steady upward trajectory, India and Italy agreed to maintain momentum through regular institutional dialogues and high-level exchanges. The next round of Foreign Office Consultations will be held in Italy on mutually convenient dates.
