India, Italy strengthen defence cooperation with focus on technology and arms production
India and Italy have discussed a wide range of defence, security, and industrial cooperation issues, including maritime cooperation and information-sharing arrangements between the two countries, with an emphasis on the Trans-Regional Maritime Network. These discussions took place during the 11th India-Italy annual bilateral Joint Defence Committee meeting, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and his Italian counterpart, Secretary General of Defence Luisa Riccardi, in Rome.
The Defence Secretary stressed the importance of closer defence collaboration, particularly in technology and armament production, a priority area for India. He highlighted that the Government of India is proactively building an ecosystem for defence production and innovation within the country through conscious policy initiatives, resulting in a vibrant innovation and industrial ecosystem.
During his two-day visit to Rome (April 14-15), Singh called on Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, holding productive discussions aimed at further enhancing defence cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Italy strategic partnership.
At India-Italy Defence Industry Roundtable, Singh discussed the significant changes in the Indian defence industry, driven by progressive reforms that have created a conducive environment for growth through transparency, predictability, and ease of doing business.
An MoU was signed between Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and Federation of Italian Companies for Aerospace, Defence and Security (AIAD), marking a significant step toward fostering closer cooperation between the defence industries of both nations.
The Defence Secretary was accompanied by a high-level Ministry of Defence delegation, comprising senior officials from Service Headquarters, Department of Defence, and Department of Defence Production, as well as a substantial industry delegation from SIDM to foster closer B2B connections between the Indian and Italian defence industries.
