India, Italy seal defence pact, elevate their bilateral ties to a ‘special strategic partnership’

BILATERAL – INDIA-EUROPE

21 MAY 2026

• Delivering a press statement in Rome at the end of his multi-nation Europe trip, Mr. Modi welcomed the upgrade of bilateral ties to the level of “Special Strategic Partnership”.
• The Ministry of External Affairs said that the Special Strategic Partnership will lead to strengthened cooperation in trade, technology, defence, clean energy and innovation as well as in the field of mobility of skilled and non-skilled workers through safe and secure channels.
• The two sides also sealed a “Defence Industrial Road Map”, an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in critical minerals, and another agreement for cooperation between the Italian Corps of the Guardia di Finanza and the Directorate of Enforcement.
• A Joint Statement issued on the occasion of Mr. Modi’s visit announced that the two sides have signed an agreement on agriculture and agricultural research that will connect Ministries and institutions of India and Italy.
• The two sides also expressed commitment “to a free, open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, in line with international law, including United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
• On the Gulf situation, they called for “freedom of navigation and the resumption of global flows through Strait of Hormuz”.
• In a significant push, ahead of the India-Africa Forum Summit-4, the two sides said they have agreed to work on selected projects trilaterally in Africa in areas such as Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), agriculture, education, healthcare, artificial intelligence, connectivity and infrastructure and renewable energy in line with India’s development partnership in Africa and Italy’s Mattei Plan.
• Mr. Modi was conferred with the Agricola Medal for 2026 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, at the FAO headquarters in Rome.