Italy has expressed strong support for the early finalization of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union. During a meeting on Thursday with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani reaffirmed Rome’s commitment to fast-tracking the agreement. On X, he stated, “I confirmed Italy’s support for a rapid finalisation of the Free Trade Agreement,” underlining the strategic political and economic partnership shared by the two nations.
Tajani highlighted that India remains a priority in Italy’s export plan, or “Piano Export,” with a €500 million commitment to assist Italian companies expanding their trade with India. He also announced plans for a follow-up visit to India in the coming months to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Jaishankar noted on X that discussions included global developments in regions such as the Mediterranean, Middle East, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific, alongside progress in India-Italy bilateral relations. The diplomatic meetings reflected a broad agenda encompassing trade, technology, defense, and education partnerships.
In parallel, Tajani and Jaishankar engaged with several international counterparts. Tajani met Yvette Cooper, the newly appointed British Foreign Secretary, to review outcomes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UK in July. This included India-UK Vision 2035, a ten-year roadmap to advance defense collaboration, job creation, technology innovation, and education initiatives, complementing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the two countries.
Jaishankar also held bilateral discussions with foreign ministers from Australia, Guatemala, Egypt, Malaysia, Costa Rica, and Panama. These engagements underscore India’s efforts to expand its global diplomatic footprint, strengthen trade ties, and foster strategic cooperation across multiple continents.
Italy’s endorsement of the FTA and the planned financial support for exports signal a positive trajectory for India-EU trade relations, promising enhanced economic growth, technological collaboration, and deeper political partnerships in the coming years.
