Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Rome on Tuesday evening, marking the final stage of his five‑nation tour that has taken him across the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and now Italy. His arrival in the Italian capital sets the stage for a series of high‑level diplomatic engagements before his return to India on Wednesday.
The program includes a meeting with President Sergio Mattarella, bilateral talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and other official interactions designed to consolidate the momentum in India‑Italy relations.
The visit comes at a time when ties between New Delhi and Rome are experiencing strong forward movement, anchored in the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025‑2029. This framework encompasses cooperation in trade, investment, defence and security, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and cultural and people‑to‑people exchanges.
Bilateral trade reached $16.77 billion in 2025, while cumulative Italian foreign direct investment stood at USD 3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025. These figures underscore the growing economic interdependence between the two nations, which is now being reinforced by strategic collaboration in defence co‑production and industrial partnerships.
Prime Minister Modi’s presence in Italy also recalls his earlier visit in June 2024, when he participated in the G7 Summit. That engagement had already signalled India’s rising profile in European strategic affairs, and his current trip builds on that foundation by deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Defence and security are expected to feature prominently in discussions, with both sides keen to expand joint projects and enhance maritime security coordination in the wider Indo‑Pacific context.
Earlier in the day, Modi concluded his engagements in Oslo, where he attended the third India‑Nordic Summit alongside leaders from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. The summit focused on advancing cooperation in green technology, climate action, trade, innovation, artificial intelligence, Arctic research and defence collaboration.
India and the Nordic countries elevated their partnership to a “Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership,” reaffirming their commitment to shared democratic values and sustainable development goals. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that Modi’s Nordic engagements had opened a new chapter in India‑Nordic and India‑Norway relations, paving the way for future collaboration in cutting‑edge sectors.
The transition from Oslo to Rome reflects the broader arc of Modi’s European diplomacy, which has sought to balance India’s partnerships across northern and southern Europe while embedding them within the larger framework of India‑EU cooperation.
The Italian leg of the tour is expected to provide fresh impetus to negotiations on the India‑EU Free Trade Agreement and strengthen industrial linkages, particularly in defence, clean energy and advanced technology. Modi’s engagements in Rome will therefore serve as a capstone to his five‑nation tour, reinforcing India’s role as a reliable partner in shaping sustainable and secure frameworks for the future.
Agencies
