India and Italy on Wednesday agreed to elevate their bilateral relationship to the level of a “Special Strategic Partnership” following wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
Addressing a joint press statement after the meeting, Modi said both leaders held extensive discussions on strengthening cooperation across sectors including trade, investment, technology and infrastructure.
The Prime Minister, who arrived in Italy on the final leg of his five-nation tour, was accorded a ceremonial military honour before the bilateral talks.
Ahead of the meeting with Meloni, Modi also called on Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The leaders discussed various aspects of India-Italy relations, including trade, investment, cultural cooperation and emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, critical minerals, space and nuclear energy.
Modi said his visit focused on expanding collaboration under the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) initiative and reviewing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, which outlines cooperation in multiple sectors over the next five years.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Meloni hosted Modi for dinner and accompanied him on a visit to the iconic Colosseum ahead of the formal talks.
India and Italy have seen growing economic engagement in recent years. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached Euro 14.25 billion in 2025. India’s exports stood at Euro 8.55 billion, while Italian exports to India touched Euro 5.70 billion, registering a growth of 9.42 per cent over the previous year.
Both countries have set a target of achieving annual bilateral trade worth Euro 20 billion by 2029.
Italy is currently India’s fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union and has identified India as a priority nation under its global trade strategy.
The Indian community in Italy, estimated at over 1.86 lakh people as of January 2025, is the largest Indian diaspora group in the European Union. More than 5,100 Indian students are studying in Italian universities.
