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India and Italy on Wednesday elevated bilateral ties to a “Special Strategic Partnership”, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unveiling an ambitious defence industrial roadmap focused on co-development and co-production of military systems.
The decision, announced after extensive talks in Rome, marks a significant shift in India-Italy defence engagement, particularly after years of limited momentum following the AgustaWestland helicopter deal controversy that had effectively frozen Italian defence firms out of the Indian market.
The new roadmap is expected to open avenues for collaboration in helicopters, naval platforms, marine weapon systems and electronic warfare technologies, aligning with India’s broader push for indigenous defence manufacturing and technology partnerships under the “Make in India” framework.
“Our Defence Industrial Roadmap has paved the way for co-development and co-production,” Modi said after the talks, underlining that defence cooperation would move beyond buyer-seller arrangements toward long-term industrial partnerships.
The roadmap is being viewed as a key pillar of the upgraded partnership, with both countries seeking to combine Italy’s manufacturing and design capabilities with India’s expanding defence production ecosystem and large procurement requirements.
The two sides also signed a maritime transport and ports cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening connectivity, logistics and blue economy initiatives. Modi said cooperation between the two maritime nations would extend to shipping, port modernisation and supply chain infrastructure.
The leaders reviewed progress under the India–Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–29 and agreed to establish a Foreign Ministers-led monitoring mechanism to assess implementation across sectors periodically.
Apart from defence, the discussions covered trade and investment, emerging technologies, space cooperation, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and semiconductors.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed growing engagement between the armed forces through exchanges, defence interactions and naval port calls, while also endorsing greater industry participation in future defence projects.
Officials said the emphasis on co-design and co-production reflects India’s effort to diversify defence technology partnerships and reduce dependence on imports by integrating foreign manufacturers into domestic production chains.
Space cooperation also figured prominently in the talks, with both sides acknowledging ongoing collaboration between the Italian Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation.
On global issues, Modi and Meloni exchanged views on conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, reiterating support for dialogue and diplomacy while stressing the importance of maritime security and freedom of navigation.
The two countries also reaffirmed cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts, including the implementation of the Joint Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism adopted in November 2025.
Team BharatShakti
