Italy Looks to Deepen Economic Partnership with India, Boost Bilateral Investments and Exports
Deputy PM Antonio Tajani underscores India’s strategic role in the Indo-Pacific; Piyush Goyal highlights opportunities in fashion, AI, tourism, and green tech.
In a significant boost to India-Italy relations, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, announced plans to strengthen economic co
operation with India through increased investments, greater exports, and deeper industry collaboration. His remarks came during the Italy-India Business, Science, and Technology Forum held in New Delhi on Friday.
“India is an important country for stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and this stability is essential to advancing global trade,” Tajani stated. “Italy and India are natural economic partners. Today, our bilateral trade exceeds $14 billion, and we want to do more—invest more in India, export more to India, and welcome more Indian investments in Italy.”
Tajani emphasized that the partnership should be future-oriented, grounded in shared interests in higher education, research, and technological innovation. He identified key sectors such as artificial intelligence, supercomputing, space technology, and defense as ripe for joint investment and collaboration.
Expanding the Bilateral Horizon
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal echoed Tajani’s sentiment, noting that the bilateral relationship holds vast untapped potential. “If we work seamlessly with one another, facilitate investments, and remove business bottlenecks, we can significantly expand trade between our two nations,” Goyal said.
He projected India’s economic rise as a compelling reason for stronger engagement. “India is set to grow from a $4 trillion economy to $30–35 trillion by 2047. Our Viksit Bharat vision makes India a natural strategic partner for Europe—and especially for Italy,” he said.
Goyal also spotlighted underutilized sectors such as fashion, luxury goods, food processing, pharmaceuticals, tourism, green technology, and advanced manufacturing. “These are new frontiers for economic cooperation where both nations can thrive,” he said.
A Forward-Looking Strategic Roadmap
Reflecting on the challenges facing global trade and diplomacy, both ministers expressed optimism about the strength and resilience of the India-Italy partnership. “This forum is a timely platform to reaffirm our commitment to the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in November 2024,” said Goyal. “It is a forward-looking, ambitious, and pragmatic roadmap focused on trade, investment, and innovation.”
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar also addressed the gathering, highlighting the complementary nature of India’s developmental goals and Italian industrial capabilities. “The direction of India’s growth and the strengths of Italian industry are a powerful combination. Make in India offers a meaningful platform for this collaboration to take shape,” he said.
Strengthening Ties in a Shifting World Order
The Italy-India forum comes at a time of renewed global realignments and technological disruptions. For Indian entrepreneurs, students, and policymakers, engaging with Italy not only facilitates trade but also fosters deeper cultural and scientific ties with one of Europe’s industrial powerhouses.
As Tajani noted, “Today, Italy and India are closer than ever. Our partnership is based on shared values, respect, and a common future vision, not just numbers.
