India and Italy strengthened their bilateral relationship through the Italy-India Business, Science and Technology Forum, where key leaders underscored a shared commitment to fostering innovation, technological advancements, and economic partnerships. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Antonio Tajani, highlighted the significance of this forum as an integral part of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29, which both nations aim to execute to enhance collaboration.
Tajani emphasized the importance of India as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific region, underlining how stability in this area directly impacts trade dynamics. With India’s enormous economic potential, Tajani called for reinforced cooperation, framing India and Italy as natural economic partners poised for long-term growth. He noted that bilateral trade has already surpassed 14 billion dollars and stressed the importance of increased investment in India, enhanced exports to the country, and efforts to attract Indian investments into Italy.
Both leaders pointed to key sectors where partnerships could flourish, including artificial intelligence, supercomputers, space technology, and defense. Tajani urged stakeholders to channel resources and expertise into these high-potential areas to drive mutual growth.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal spotlighted the immense opportunities to further expand trade relations between India and Italy. He stressed the need for seamless collaboration, investment promotion, and the removal of barriers to business growth. Goyal painted an ambitious vision of India’s economic trajectory, projecting growth from 4 trillion dollars to 30 to 35 trillion dollars by 2047. He emphasized that achieving the goal of a developed India requires deepened ties between India and the European Union, with Italy playing a pivotal role.
Highlighting new frontiers for collaboration, Goyal identified industries such as fashion, luxury goods, food processing, pharmaceuticals, tourism, green technology, advanced manufacturing, and automobiles as areas ripe for investment. He praised the strength of the India-Italy friendship, framing it as a resilient bond amidst global challenges.
Reflecting on India’s growing prominence in global trade, Goyal reaffirmed the importance of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29, which was launched in November 2024 by Narendra Modi and Giorgia Meloni. He described it as a forward-looking, pragmatic blueprint focusing on trade, investment, and innovation. Union Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar highlighted the synergy between India’s progress and the capabilities of Italian industries. He positioned “Make in India” as a pathway for expanding collaborative opportunities and fostering a stronger bond between the two nations.
The forum served as a platform for addressing untapped potential in India-Italy relations and demonstrated both nations’ readiness to harness innovative solutions for a brighter, more integrated future. Through continued dedication to fostering economic and technological partnerships, India and Italy are paving the way for mutual growth and prosperity on a global stage.
