India, Italy elevate ties, sign MoU on defence cooperation
- The Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni, paid a State visit to India.
- This was the first bilateral VVIP visit from Italy to India after 5 years; the last Prime Ministerial visit from Italy to India took place in October 2018.
- PM Meloni was also the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 8th Raisina Dialogue, 2023.
- Raisina Dialogue is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-strategy.
- It is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Observer Research Foundation.
- The theme of the 2023 Edition of Dialogue is Provocation, Uncertainty, Turbulence: Lighthouse in the Tempest.
List of Outcomes: State visit of Prime Minister of Italy to India
- Elevation of India-Italy bilateral ties to "Strategic Partnership".
- Italy joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) under Science, Technology and Academics cooperation pillar.
- In November 2019, while participating in 14th EAS, PM Modi launched the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).
- IPOI seeks to ensure security and stability of the regional maritime domain.
- It is an open, non-treaty-based initiative for countries to work together for cooperative and collaborative solutions to common challenges in the region.
- It draws on existing regional architecture and mechanisms to focus on seven pillars:
- Maritime Security
- Maritime Ecology
- Maritime Resources
- Capacity Building and Resource Sharing
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
- Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation
- Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport
- Declaration of Intent (DOI) on Migration and Mobility.
- Announcement of India – Italy Start Up Bridge.
- MoU on defence cooperation
- Both the countries have also decided to organise the joint military exercises and training courses on a regular basis. It also includes maritime cooperation.
- This cooperation will also promote co-production, co-design, and co-innovation in defence manufacturing.