The 13th edition of the India-Italy Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting was held from March 20 to 21 in Rome, Italy. The meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (IDC-A) from India’s Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and the Deputy Head of the Strategic Direction and Military Cooperation Division of the Italian Defence General Staff.
The discussions centred on expanding bilateral military cooperation, enhancing exchange programs, developing capability, and strengthening collaboration between the Indian and Italian armed forces. Participants also reviewed ongoing defence engagements, assessed their progress, and explored ways to optimize future interactions.
The 13th India-Italy Military Cooperation Group (MCG) met in Rome to identify areas of common interest & new initiatives to boost military-to-military interactions. The activities agreed upon, will foster mil-to-mil cooperation, interoperability and collaboration, which would… pic.twitter.com/kDqBy7ZGBP
— India in Italy (@IndiainItaly) March 21, 2025
Strengthening Strategic Partnerships
The MCG remains a key institutional mechanism for bolstering defence cooperation between the two nations. India and Italy recently elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership during Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit to India in March 2023. Additionally, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation was renewed in October 2023 during Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Italy, reinforcing commitments in joint military exercises, technology sharing, and capacity building.
Advancing Defence Cooperation
Recognizing the vast potential of the India-Italy Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during their meeting at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on November 18, 2024, agreed to strengthen ties through targeted, time-bound initiatives further. The key focus areas include the text outlining key initiatives aimed at enhancing defence collaboration between two nations, including regular Joint Defence Consultative Meetings and Joint Staff Talks to improve information exchange and training coordination. It highlights increased military interactions in the Indo-Pacific to support Italy’s interests and promote interoperability between armed forces.
Additionally, it emphasizes defence industry collaboration through partnerships that foster technology sharing and co-development of defence equipment. The focus on maritime security includes efforts in pollution response and search-and-rescue operations. Lastly, it details the establishment of a Defence Industrial Roadmap and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers and the Italian Industries Federation for Aerospace, Defence, and Security, alongside promoting innovation through regular interactions between scientists and technical experts from both countries.
The strengthened partnership marks a new chapter in India-Italy defence cooperation, reinforcing shared commitments to global peace, security, and technological advancement.
Team BharatShakti
