Bari (Italy), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni have reviewed the progress of the bilateral strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation in global fora and multilateral initiatives, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. .
The two leaders met on Friday at the end of Prime Minister Modi's one-day visit to Apulia in southern Italy, during which he thanked the Italian Prime Minister for the invitation to attend the G7 summit.
The leaders committed to fulfill their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific and also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in minutes of the meeting. .
"The two leaders look forward to implementing joint activities under the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative framework to fulfill their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the External Affairs Ministry said amid China's aggressive actions in the region. "
It said they also discussed important regional and global issues and agreed to strengthen cooperation in global forums and multilateral initiatives, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.Billed as a pioneering initiative, IMEC envisages a vast road, railway and shipping network between Saudi Arabia, India, the United States and Europe to ensure integration between Asia, the Middle East and the West.
IMEC is also seen as an initiative by like-minded countries to gain strategic influence over China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has faced increasing criticism over lack of transparency and disregard for nations' sovereignty. Is kept.
BRI is a mega connectivity project that connects China with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Russia and Europe.
The IMEC initiative was strengthened last year on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi.
“Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the regular high-level political dialogue and reviewed the progress of the India-Italy strategic partnership.Expressing happiness over growing trade and economic cooperation, they called for expanding commercial ties in clean energy, manufacturing, space, S&T (science and technology), telecommunications, AI and critical minerals to create resilient supply chains. In this context, they welcomed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial Property Rights (IPR), which provides a framework for cooperation on patents, designs and trademarks,” it said.
The External Affairs Ministry said the two sides discussed bilateral defense and security cooperation and expressed hope to further enhance defence-industrial cooperation. The leaders welcomed the upcoming visit of the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour and training ship ITS Vespucci to India later this year.
Prime Minister Modi is said to have thanked the Italian government for recognizing the contribution of the Indian Army in the Italian campaign during World War II and informed that India will upgrade the Yashwant Ghadge memorial in Montone, Italy.The Ministry of External Affairs statement said: "Considering coordination under the 'Global Biofuels Alliance', the leaders welcomed the signing of the Letter of Intent for Cooperation in Energy Transition, which will expand bilateral cooperation in clean and green energy. They expressed happiness over the new working program of cooperation for 2025-27 to promote joint research and development in science and technology.
“Both countries enjoy strong people-to-people ties inspired by the long-standing Indological studies tradition in Italy, which will be further strengthened with the establishment of the first ICCR chair on Indian Studies at the University of Milan. The two leaders called for early implementation of the Migration and Mobility Agreement, which will facilitate the mobility of professionals, skilled and semi-skilled workers, students and researchers.
Earlier on Friday, Meloni joined the prime minister with the leaders of Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to address an outreach session on artificial intelligence, energy and technology. welcomed.Africa and the Mediterranean with Pope Francis.
The G7 summit, which formally concluded on Saturday, was hosted by Italy and attended by the Group of Seven industrialized nations - the US, Britain, Japan, Canada, Germany and France, and the European Union.
The two leaders met on Friday at the end of Prime Minister Modi's one-day visit to Apulia in southern Italy, during which he thanked the Italian Prime Minister for the invitation to attend the G7 summit.
The leaders committed to fulfill their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific and also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in minutes of the meeting. .
"The two leaders look forward to implementing joint activities under the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative framework to fulfill their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," the External Affairs Ministry said amid China's aggressive actions in the region. "
It said they also discussed important regional and global issues and agreed to strengthen cooperation in global forums and multilateral initiatives, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.Billed as a pioneering initiative, IMEC envisages a vast road, railway and shipping network between Saudi Arabia, India, the United States and Europe to ensure integration between Asia, the Middle East and the West.
IMEC is also seen as an initiative by like-minded countries to gain strategic influence over China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has faced increasing criticism over lack of transparency and disregard for nations' sovereignty. Is kept.
BRI is a mega connectivity project that connects China with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Russia and Europe.
The IMEC initiative was strengthened last year on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi.
“Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the regular high-level political dialogue and reviewed the progress of the India-Italy strategic partnership.Expressing happiness over growing trade and economic cooperation, they called for expanding commercial ties in clean energy, manufacturing, space, S&T (science and technology), telecommunications, AI and critical minerals to create resilient supply chains. In this context, they welcomed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial Property Rights (IPR), which provides a framework for cooperation on patents, designs and trademarks,” it said.
The External Affairs Ministry said the two sides discussed bilateral defense and security cooperation and expressed hope to further enhance defence-industrial cooperation. The leaders welcomed the upcoming visit of the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour and training ship ITS Vespucci to India later this year.
Prime Minister Modi is said to have thanked the Italian government for recognizing the contribution of the Indian Army in the Italian campaign during World War II and informed that India will upgrade the Yashwant Ghadge memorial in Montone, Italy.The Ministry of External Affairs statement said: "Considering coordination under the 'Global Biofuels Alliance', the leaders welcomed the signing of the Letter of Intent for Cooperation in Energy Transition, which will expand bilateral cooperation in clean and green energy. They expressed happiness over the new working program of cooperation for 2025-27 to promote joint research and development in science and technology.
“Both countries enjoy strong people-to-people ties inspired by the long-standing Indological studies tradition in Italy, which will be further strengthened with the establishment of the first ICCR chair on Indian Studies at the University of Milan. The two leaders called for early implementation of the Migration and Mobility Agreement, which will facilitate the mobility of professionals, skilled and semi-skilled workers, students and researchers.
Earlier on Friday, Meloni joined the prime minister with the leaders of Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, India, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritania, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to address an outreach session on artificial intelligence, energy and technology. welcomed.Africa and the Mediterranean with Pope Francis.
The G7 summit, which formally concluded on Saturday, was hosted by Italy and attended by the Group of Seven industrialized nations - the US, Britain, Japan, Canada, Germany and France, and the European Union.
