The India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan was finalised earlier this month
Describing Italy as a critical partner for India in Europe and the Mediterranean region, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the India Middle East Europe Connectivity Corridor (IMEC) would be a game changer between Europe and Asia.

“We regard Italy as a key partner, a very crucial one in Europe, a very influential one in the Mediterranean,” he stated at the inauguration of the new premises of the Indian Embassy in Rome on November 25, 2024.

“Pleased to inaugurate the new Chancery of the Embassy of India in Rome today. It befits the continued expansion of India - Italy partnership in recent years. Will also help us serve better the Indian community in Italy,” he said on social media platform X.

Noting that India and Italy were founding members of the IMEC, which was agreed to in-principle during India’s presidency of the G20, he stated that it would be a game changer between Europe and Asia. “India’s growing engagement with Europe, and particularly to Italy which we see both as a very influential European and Mediterranean country, certainly reinforce each other,” EAM Jaishankar stated.

He highlighted India’s increasing integration with global supply chains, its efforts to expand manufacturing, to transition to clean and green energy, to build critical technologies, all of which present opportunities to Italian investors, companies, entrepreneurs and innovation ecosystems. “Our commercial ties are very much obviously to our mutual benefit, but I think in many ways can make an important contribution to de-risking the global economy,” he noted.

“India’s presence in Rome is also reflected in our membership of three important UN bodies here, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agriculture development. We have played an important role in all these agencies contributing to global agricultural, food security and nutrition policies,” he added.

EAM Jaishankar referred to the India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan finalised earlier this month, with a focus on specific initiatives in economy, defence, space, clean energy, science and technology, and people-to-people ties. The plan was agreed upon during a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Meloni during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 18, 2024.

Pointing out that this was his fifth visit to Italy since he became Minister - three of them accompanying Prime Minister Modi - EAM Jaishankar said every visit had been memorable. “In many ways, the frequent interactions we see at various levels is a sign of the depth and the breadth of our relationship,” he remarked. 

He also utilised the opportunity to highlight how people-to-people ties were being strengthened by the over 200,000 Indians in Italy who were active in diverse sectors like agriculture, dairy, healthcare, hospitality, and education.

EAM Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to Italy, will participate in the Outreach session of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Fiuggi, where India has been invited as a guest country. He is also expected to hold bilateral discussions with his counterparts from Italy and other participating nations in the G7-related engagements.