NewKerala.com

India-Italy Ties to Deepen with EU Free Trade Agreement, Says Ambassador

Italian Ambassador Antonio Bartoli emphasized the strong and reliable partnership between India and Italy, stating it will be further enhanced by the conclusion of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement. The FTA aims to boost bilateral trade, covering areas like market access, services, and investment, with India seeking zero-duty access for labour-intensive sectors. The two nations have adopted a strategic action plan targeting a trade volume of at least 20 billion euros and cooperation in defence, space, and manufacturing. The upcoming EU-India Summit on January 27 will feature high-level EU representation to advance these discussions.

Key Points: India-Italy Partnership to Grow with EU FTA, Says Envoy

  • EU-India FTA to boost partnership
  • Trade aims to hit 20 billion euros
  • Collaboration in defence, space & manufacturing
  • Safeguards for farmers & MSMEs
  • Summit scheduled for January 27
2 min read

"India-Italy partnership will be more enhanced by conclusion of FTA": Italian Ambassador Antonio Bartoli

Italian Ambassador Antonio Bartoli says the conclusion of the EU-India Free Trade Agreement will significantly enhance the reliable partnership between Rome and New Delhi.

"Within this friendship...Italy is one of the most interesting and reliable partners, and we can develop a lot together. - Antonio Bartoli"

New Delhi, January 17

Ambassador of Italy to India, Antonio Bartoli, emphasised the "reliable" partnership between Rome and New Delhi and said it will be further enhanced by the conclusion of the European Union-Indian Free Trade Agreement.

Speaking with ANI, Antonio Bartoli said Europe provides many advantages in the current era of "geopolitical turmoil."

"In an era of geopolitical turmoil where unpredictability seems to be the only predictable feature, Europe provides many advantages. It is a vibrant economy with an ancient culture and a rich civilisation like India's...Within this friendship (between Europe and India), Italy is one of the most interesting and reliable partners, and we can develop a lot together. This will be even more enhanced by the conclusion of the FTA," he said.

This comes ahead of the European Council President, Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will visit India to represent the EU at the 16th EU-India Summit, scheduled for January 27.

The FTA aims to boost bilateral trade between India and the EU, which is already India's largest trading partner, with goods trade totalling $136.53 billion in 2024-25. The agreement is expected to cover areas such as market access for goods, rules of origin, services, investment, and intellectual property rights.

India is seeking zero-duty access for labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, and handicrafts. The agreement will include safeguards for farmers and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The FTA will promote regulatory cooperation and transparency, making it easier for businesses to operate in both markets.

Reflecting on the India-Italy relationship, Antonio Bartoli said, "The two Prime Ministers adopted a roadmap, a joint strategic action plan covering five years, 2025 to 2029 and they identified main areas of cooperation. Trade and investment aim to raise the volume to at least 20 billion euros."

"Investments in defence, space, connectivity, IMEC and the Indo-Mediterranean corridor. Technology, startups, innovation, science, inter-university cooperation, energy, waste to energy are various sectors," he added.

Bartoli further said that India and Italy can collaborate in the manufacturing sector, as Rome is very good at machinery.

"Being the second industrial powerhouse in Europe, Italy can be very useful and very complementary to an India that wants to develop an ever more robust manufacturing sector and we are very good at machinery," he said.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone working in the leather export sector, I've been following these talks closely. Zero-duty access for our products in the EU would be massive for job creation and growth. Hope the negotiators secure a good deal for our labour-intensive industries.
R
Rohit P
Good to see the focus on defence and space collaboration too. Italy has strong aerospace capabilities. But we must be careful with the IPR clauses in the FTA. We need to protect our own growing tech and pharma sectors, not just open the floodgates.
P
Priya S
The mention of waste-to-energy cooperation is interesting. Our cities need better waste management solutions, and Italian technology could help. Hope the partnership is truly two-way and we also export our innovations in renewable energy and startups.
M
Michael C
While the ambition of 20 billion euros in trade is commendable, the timeline seems a bit optimistic. These agreements take time to show results on the ground. The key will be in the implementation and ensuring our small farmers are genuinely protected.
K
Kavya N
Italy and India share such a deep cultural connection, from ancient trade routes to architecture. An economic partnership built on that foundation makes perfect sense. Looking forward to more student exchanges and university collaborations mentioned here!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50