Italian PM arrives today, focus back on marines

Smita Sharma

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 28

India and Italy will pick up the threads of official bilateral dialogue after a decade on Monday. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni accompanied by First Lady Emanuela Mauro Gentiloni will arrive on a state visit in Delhi Sunday morning.

The last visit of an Italian head of state to India was in February 2007.

Strengthening political and economic ties in a changed global environment and normalising relations post the Italian marines’ controversy will be key during the visit.

The bilateral relationship hit a low and went into deep freeze after two Italian marines on board vessel “MV Enrica Lexie” were arrested by India on charges of killing two fishermen and endangering lives of nine others off Kerala coast on February 15, 2012.

The marines argued that they shot the fishermen in self-defence, mistaking them to be armed pirates, and the incident occurred on international waters outside of Indian jurisdiction, which Delhi disputes. The two marines after being in house arrest for two and fours years, respectively, were allowed to return to Italy on health grounds while the matter is pending in the apex court as well as The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague

Sources say Italy had even sought a third country trial, which was turned down. It then objected to India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group at the plenary session in Seoul in 2016.

The European Union Summit had been derailed too following diplomatic tension between India and Italy over the marines’ issue.

Gentiloni’s visit offers a chance to reset ties. He will hold official talks with PM Narendra Modi on Monday and also deliver a public address at a think tank event before his departure. He will be accompanied by a 15-member CEOs’ delegation.