Rome: PM Modi and Italian President Mattarella reaffirm strong India-Italy partnership
Rome, May 20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Wednesday with both leaders discussing expanding ties across various sectors, including trade, technology, innovation, clean energy, Artificial Intelligence and culture.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials were also present during the meeting.
Prior to the meeting, PM Modi and President Mattarella warmly greeted each other and met members of each other's delegation.
"PM Narendra Modi called on the President Sergio Mattarella of the Italian Republic. The two leaders reaffirmed the strong and enduring India-Italy partnership and held discussions in areas including trade, technology, innovation, clean energy, AI and culture. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on X after the meeting.
On Tuesday, PM Modi attended a dinner hosted by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni. He also shared a few pictures on X and said that he is looking forward to their talks on Wednesday, where they will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship. The two leaders also visited the iconic Colosseum in Rome.
"Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship," wrote PM Modi.
Meloni warmly welcomed PM Modi to Italy as he arrived in Rome on Tuesday night on the final leg of his five-nation visit.
Extending a personal greeting to PM Modi, Meloni posted on X: "Welcome to Rome, my friend!"
Sharing details of the visit, the MEA posted on X: "Scripting a new chapter in the India-Italy Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Rome on an official visit to Italy. He was warmly received at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani of Italy."
He added, "India and Italy share a longstanding and multifaceted partnership. The visit is set to add new momentum to the India-Italy partnership."
According to the MEA, PM Modi's visit to Italy comes amid growing momentum in bilateral ties, with both countries actively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029. The roadmap covers cooperation in trade, investment, defence, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Love seeing our PM taking India's foreign relations to new heights. Italy is a beautiful country with rich culture - hope this means more cultural exchanges and Bollywood films being shot there! 🎬
Good to see strategic partnerships being strengthened. But I hope we're not just signing MoUs that gather dust - need actual implementation in AI, clean energy, and defence sectors. The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 sounds promising though.
As someone who works in tech, I'm excited about the AI and innovation collaboration! India's IT talent combined with Italy's design and manufacturing excellence could create some amazing products.
The Colosseum visit was a nice touch - shows our leaders respect world heritage. But wish the mainstream media would focus more on these diplomatic successes instead of just controversies. This is nation building, plain and simple. 🇮🇳
Impressive that Modi ji is visiting 5 nations back to back. Italy is a G7 nation so these ties matter. Clean energy partnership is particularly important given climate change challenges. Hope there's concrete action on the ground.
The way PM Modi and PM Meloni get along is remarkable. "Welcome to Rome, my friend!" - such warmth between leaders translates to better ties. And visiting Colosse
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.