Basics
- Location: South-Western Europe
- Capital: Rome
- Outline: It consists of a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land border and islands like Sicily and Sardinia.
- Border Countries: France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and the two enclaves of Vatican City and San Marino.
Areas of Cooperation
- Political Cooperation
- Diplomatic Ties: Established in 1947, shortly after India’s independence.
- Cultural Connection: Cultural exchanges through art, cuisine, and literature have enhanced people-to-people relations.
- Global Platforms: Collaboration in multilateral platforms like the G20, UN, and International Solar Alliance.
- Trade and Economic Relations
- Italy is India’s 5th largest trading partner in the European Union.
- Bilateral Trade: In 2022-23, bilateral trade reached $14 billion.
- Italian Investments in India: Focused on sectors like automotive, renewable energy, and fashion.
- Example: Italian companies like Fiat and Leonardo operate in India.
- Indian Presence in Italy: Indian IT giants like TCS and Infosys have established offices.
- Strategic and Defense Collaboration
- Defense Partnership: Both countries aim to strengthen maritime security and counter-terrorism efforts.
- Example: Joint naval exercises like “Milan”.
- Technology Sharing: Collaborative efforts in defense manufacturing.
- Science and Technology
- Focus on research in renewable energy, climate change, and space technology
- Example: Cooperation between the ISRO and the Italian Space Agency.
- Cultural and Educational Exchange
- Active cultural diplomacy through organizations like the Italian Cultural Centre in India.
- Student exchange programs between universities.
- Example: MoUs signed between institutions like JNU and Sapienza University in Rome.
Recent Developments
- 2023 Partnership Agreements: Focused on energy transition and clean technology.
- Italy Joining International Solar Alliance: A step toward enhancing climate action collaborations.
- High-Level Visits: Frequent leadership visits, including PM Giorgia Meloni’s 2023 visit to India.
- Five-year Strategic Action Plan (2024): Collaborations in key sectors like defence, trade, energy and space.
Challenges
- Geopolitical Divergences: Differences on some international issues.
- Legal and Diplomatic Disputes: The Italian Marines Case tested bilateral ties.