India-Italy announce joint strategic plan for five years during G20

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the 19th G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. This was the fifth meeting between the two prime ministers in the last two years. The two leaders had met last in Puglia, Italy, in June 2024 on the occasion of the G7 Summit.

In Brazil, Modi and Meloni reiterated their commitment to advance the India-Italy Strategic Partnership and announced a Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 which outlines their vision for the next five years. The action plan will pursue joint collaborations, programmes and initiatives in key sectors, including trade and investment, science and technology, new and emerging technologies, clean energy, space, defence, connectivity and people-to-people linkages.

“Glad to have met Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the Rio de Janeiro G20 Summit. Our talks centred around deepening ties in defence, security, trade and technology. We also talked about how to boost cooperation in culture, education and other such areas. India-Italy friendship can greatly contribute to a better planet,” the PM said.