India and Italy elevate ties to 'Special Strategic Partnership'

📌 Summary:

• During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Rome, India and Italy agreed to upgrade their bilateral ties to the level of a "Special Strategic Partnership"

• Mr. Modi said India and Italy have been in continuous contact over the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, reiterating India's position that all problems should be resolved through "dialogue and diplomacy"

• The Ministry of External Affairs said the partnership will strengthen cooperation in trade, technology, defence, clean energy, innovation and the mobility of skilled and non-skilled workers through safe and secure channels

• Agreements signed: a Defence Industrial Road Map, an MoU on cooperation in critical minerals, an agreement linking the Italian Guardia di Finanza and India's Directorate of Enforcement (ED), and an agreement on agriculture and agricultural research

• The Joint Statement affirmed commitment to a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific in line with international law including UNCLOS, and called for freedom of navigation and resumption of global flows through the Strait of Hormuz

• Ahead of the India-Africa Forum Summit-4, the two sides agreed to undertake trilateral projects with African partners in areas such as Digital Public Infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, AI, connectivity and renewable energy — aligning India's development partnership with Italy's Mattei Plan

• Mr. Modi noted that over 800 Italian companies operate in India, and thanked Italy for supporting the conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement; he was conferred the Agricola Medal 2026 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (International Relations) — India's bilateral partnerships with Europe, defence and critical-minerals cooperation, trilateral development partnerships in Africa, and the India-EU FTA.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India and Italy upgraded ties to a "Special Strategic Partnership" during PM Modi's 2026 Rome visit

• Italy's development engagement with Africa is known as the Mattei Plan

• PM Modi received the Agricola Medal 2026 from the FAO; India is a founding member of the FAO

• The agreements include a Defence Industrial Road Map and an MoU on critical minerals

🔑 Key Term: Special Strategic Partnership — an elevated tier of bilateral relationship signalling deeper, institutionalised cooperation across strategic sectors such as defence, technology and energy.