On Wednesday… the Italian Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved the bilateral agreement between Italy and India on military cooperation, focusing on training, technology, and the defence industry, signed in Rome on October 9, 2023.
- The measure now moves on to the Senate for the vote.
Decoding the news. The agreement strengthens the strategic axis between Rome and New Delhi within the Indo-Mediterranean context—a region increasingly central to global dynamics, connecting the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific theatres.
- The military cooperation agreement is not just a bilateral step: it contributes to building multi-level security architectures and enhances the international positioning of Italy’s defence industry.
Agreement contents. Through annual meetings, the two countries will define strategic priorities, monitor progress, and adjust cooperation lines to the evolving global scenarios.
- The partners commit to promoting industrial cooperation between defence companies, developing joint initiatives in production, research, and technological exchange, facilitating dialogue between governments and industry stakeholders, and creating a business-friendly environment for bilateral defence trade.
The context. The agreement is accompanied by the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029, which was signed at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
- As part of that Plan, a technical memorandum of understanding was also signed in April 2025 on the sidelines of the 11th Italy–India Bilateral Committee, hosted by the National Armaments Directorate at Palazzo Guidoni in Rome.
- Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and the Ambassador of India to Italy, Vani Rao, were present.
- Since the beginning of the year, Italy and India have held two business forums, both of which focused on defence and aerospace cooperation.
Political voice. “In today’s geopolitical climate, agreements like this are essential: Italy and India share common interests in defence and security across the Indo-Mediterranean, where we continue to work every day on the construction of IMEC, the geoeconomic corridor linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East,” said Paolo Formentini, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, speaking to Decode39.
- According to Formentini, the defence cooperation agreement is not merely a bilateral strengthening—it also has regional and international implications.
- “Our companies can contribute to the development of India’s defence capacity, which is, at the same time, an integral part of Indo-Mediterranean security.”
What we’re watching. The joint working group will serve as the operational engine of the agreement.
- Its task will be to identify priority areas for cooperation—such as cyber defence, space security, and naval technologies—and create the conditions for structured industrial partnerships with both commercial and geopolitical impact.
- At the same time, Indian diplomacy is engaged in discussions with European institutions to resolve key issues in the drafting of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
- An India–EU free trade agreement would further enhance business relations between India and Italy.
