For the first time… a high-level bilateral summit between Italy and India takes place outside institutional capitals—landing in Brescia, a powerhouse of Italian manufacturing and innovation.
- On Thursday, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, chaired the high-level economic dialogue and the Italy-India Business Forum alongside India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal.
- The event marks a strategic step in deepening economic ties between one of Europe’s top industrial districts and Asia’s fastest-rising economic giant.
Decoding the news. The forum in Brescia highlights the increasing strategic importance of economic diplomacy in a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.
- Over 100 Indian CEOs gather in the second-largest city in the Lombardy Region to meet with Italian counterparts for a series of high-level discussions on industrial cooperation, R&D, innovation, and workforce development.
- Alongside government officials and trade agencies such as ICE, SACE, CDP, and SIMEST, a wide range of business leaders from both nations participated.
- Among Italian firms already operating in India are Stellantis, Enel Green Power, Ferrero, Brembo, and Luxottica.
The relation. India is rapidly climbing the ranks of global economic powerhouses, with its GDP set to surpass Japan’s in 2025 and Germany’s by 2027, positioning the country as the world’s third-largest economy—after the US and China.
- Italy aims to secure its position as a key partner, building on a trade relationship that exceeded €14 billion in 2024, with Italian exports increasing by more than 30% over the past seven years.
Brescia’s strategic role. Tajani highlights the symbolic and economic significance of hosting the summit in Brescia, Italy’s sixth-largest exporting province, which generated €20 billion in exports in 2024.
- Events took place at the UNESCO-listed Santa Giulia Museum, where working groups focus on four priority sectors: industry 4.0 (mechanics, agritech), transport (railways, automotive components), energy transition and circular economy (renewables, waste-to-energy, smart cities), space and defence.
- On Thursday morning, Tajani and Goyal visited A2A’s waste-to-energy plant—one of Italy’s flagship energy transition sites.
The big picture. This summit builds on April’s Italy-India Business Forum in New Delhi, continuing a clear trajectory of economic deepening.
- Indian demand for Italian tech and know-how remains robust across aerospace, renewables, shipbuilding, and defence.
What they’re saying. Italian and Indian leaders voice strong alignment on trade, innovation, and shared global ambitions.
- “India is a key partner,” Minister Tajani said. “We want more Indian investment in Italy, just as we aim to grow our presence in India. The turnout at this forum shows that our work with Minister Goyal is bearing fruit for both economies.”
- Minister Goyal underlined “shared culture, heritage, and values,” which bring India and Italy “closer”. “I’m confident we’ll build a stronger economic future together,” he added.
The IMEC link. Italy and India double down on strategic infrastructure as a geopolitical lever.
- Tajani confirmed plans to host two events—in India and in Trieste, northeastern Italy—to highlight the significance of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), which Italy refers to as “the cotton route.”
- The corridor is set to connect India, the Gulf, Israel, and southern Europe, with Trieste serving as a key European gateway.
- “Trieste is a natural entry point into the heart of Europe and close to northern Italian industrial hubs like Brescia,” Tajani said.
Towards an EU-India agreement. Rome throws its weight behind a broader EU-India free trade deal.
- Tajani committed to accelerating negotiations: “We are working toward a well-balanced agreement. The goal is to conclude it before the end of the year.”
- He framed the deal as essential to Italy’s industrial competitiveness: “Our industrial base needs open markets. Count on me and the Italian government to push this forward.”
