External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio during a meeting in New Delhi on Friday. PTI
India and Italy on Friday explored the potential for closer cooperation in industry, including defense. This topic was the main point of the agenda when Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio met with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on Friday.
The two ministers also reiterated their determination to work hard to address the common challenges posed by terrorism, violent extremism and cybercrime. This is Di Mai's first official visit to India.
Ministers addressed the full range of bilateral relations, including progress in implementing the 2020-2024 action plan adopted at the November 2020 virtual summit. They welcomed the growing bilateral trade and investment relations and agreed to extend them to new areas of common interest. The India-Italy Summit in 2020 decided to focus on expanding defense cooperation, including making Rome ready to invest in this sector in India.
The two ministers also discussed the implementation of the Indo-Italian Strategic Partnership for Energy Transformation announced last year during the Prime Minister's visit to Italy and voted to explore cooperation in areas such as gas transportation, green hydrogen, biofuels and energy storage. In addition, they agreed on a joint organization of the Indo-Italian Technology Summit on Energy Transformation and the Circulating Economy, to be held on 17 November 2022 in Delhi.
In the context of recent geopolitical developments, they are also exchanging views on regional and global issues of common concern, including Ukraine, Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific, and cooperation in multilateral fora, including the G20, the official said. In Ukraine, both ministers expressed concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. They also emphasize the importance of protecting the international order based on the UN Charter, with particular emphasis on respect for the sovereignty and integrity of the territory, the joint press release said. Interestingly, the joint press release did not unilaterally condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine and Italy.
During the visit, Di Maio also met with Trade and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and co-chaired a trade round table attended by leading trade leaders, especially in the sector. energy, defense, sustainable mobility and infrastructure.
Di Maio also visited the Indian Space Research Organization and the Indian Institute of Science, along with their Italian counterparts, the Italian Space Agency and Elettra Sincttrotrone Trieste, where scientific collaboration and joint projects developed.
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