Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, 29 October, on a two-day state visit to India, the first such visit in a decade by an Italian PM, in a bid to boost ties between New Delhi and Rome.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with Gentiloni, following which a number of agreements were signed.
Diplomatic ties between India and Italy virtually came to a near freeze following the February 2012 firing by two Italian marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, in which two Indian fishermen were killed off the coast of Kerala.
- India and Italy signed 6 MOUs including partnership in areas like the railway sector, energy department, and cultural cooperation
- PM Narendra Modi and Italian PM Paolo Gentiloni met CEOs to boost economic and investment cooperation between the two countries
- Gentiloni arrived in India on Sunday, 29 October, on a two-day bilateral visit
- Gentiloni will also met President Ram Nath Kovind during his visit
- Gentiloni has becomes the first Italian PM to visit India in a decade
- Romano Prodi was the last Italian Prime Minister to visit India in February 2007
India-Italy Stress International Law Must Determine Connectivity Ventures
India and Italy today emphasised that connectivity ventures must be based on international law, transparency and equality, in an oblique reference to China's One Belt One Road initiative.
India has raised concerns as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the OBOR passes through the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. India has said that the CPEC violates it sovereignty.
"They underlined that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality and must follow principles of financial responsibility, accountable debt financing practises, balanced ecological and environmental protection, preservation standards and social sustainability," an India-Italy joint statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni also reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the Paris Agreement adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
To ramp up cooperation in the area of culture, the two leaders welcomed the signature of the in the framework of the bilateral Cultural Agreement.
The new New Executive Program of Cultural Cooperation (EPCC) would strengthen the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the areas of theatre, music, dance, festivals, publishing, cinema, youth exchanges, and through grant of scholarship programs.
India Keen to Grasp Italian Technology: President Kovind Meets Gentiloni
President Ram Nath Kovind today said India is keen to leverage Italian technology and investment for growth and development.
The president said this when Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni called on him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
He said the visit has special significance for India- Italy engagement as the two countries will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2018.
Infrastructure development in India itself is a USD 1 trillion opportunity. India is keen to leverage Italian technology and investment for growth and developmentthe president said.
He said he was happy to note that Italian companies want to invest in the Railways, auto, renewable energy and food processing sectors in India.
The president expressed happiness over the participation of Italy in the World Food India 2017 as a "Focus Country".
Italy is known as the design capital of the world, he said commending the initiative of the Italian PM to celebrate the "Day of Italian Design in the World".
India-Italy Join Hands to Fight Terorrism
India and Italy today resolved to fight terrorism and violent extremism in all their forms and manifestations, as they strongly pitched for strengthening international partnership and concerted action in addressing the menace of terrorism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni also emphasised on the need for effective implementation of existing international commitments on countering terrorism, including the UN Global Countering Terrorism Strategy, UNSC resolutions and targeted sanctions relating to terrorism.
“In this context, the leaders also called upon all UN member countries to designate terrorist entities in line with the relevant UNSC Resolutions,” said a joint statement issued after the talks.
The statement comes amidst indications that China will again block at the UN, efforts to list JeM chief and Pathankot mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
Modi-Gentiloni Pledge to Boost Economic Ties
India and Italy today pledged to inject "renewed momentum" into bilateral economic engagement, especially in infrastructure, hi-tech manufacturing, textiles and automotive sectors.
The India-Italy joint statement issued after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni called for further strengthening of economic linkages between the two nations.
The two leaders committed to work in a "result-oriented and mutually beneficial manner by injecting a renewed momentum into the broad-based economic engagement between the two countries", the statement said.
Modi called upon the Italian industry to explore India's untapped business opportunities in infrastructure, food processing, renewable energy and high-tech manufacturing sectors.
Gentiloni also called upon the Indian industry to identify business opportunities in Italy's textiles, automotive, leather, machinery and chemical sectors.