Rome, Sep 20 — As Brussels moves the trade agreement between India and the European Union (EU) towards signature, India and Italy are entering a more demanding phase of their ties, with John Cabot University recently launching the first Track 1.5 dialogue to analyse how the ties between the two nations have changed over the years, according to a report.

While the EU is accelerating engagement with India, the bilateral ties between Rome and New Delhi have been changing rapidly in recent years, according to a report in Decode39.

India and Italy established a Strategic Partnership in 2023, adopted a Joint Strategic Action Plan for 2025–2029 in 2024 and elevated ties to a Special Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Italy in May. Under the new framework, the Foreign Ministers-led mechanism will monitor implementation of the Action Plan and provide strategic guidance to the relationship.

Recently, the first Italy–India Track 1.5 Dialogue was organised by the Guarini Institute for Public Affairs at John Cabot University (JCU) in Rome. India's Ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao, attended the event's public programme. The discussion was held under the Chatham House Rule and analysed how the ties between India and Italy have changed over the years as the two countries are set to mark the 80th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2027.

The event highlighted an economic relationship between India and Italy, whose potential is more than the infrastructure that backs it. Financial institutions can play a greater role in facilitating commerce between India and Italy, while non-tariff barriers and regulatory divergence continue to obstruct deeper integration between the two nations, according to the Decode39 report.

A similar transition between India and Italy is taking place in the defence sector. Defence cooperation between India and Italy now encompasses personnel exchanges, procurement, research and development and industrial partnerships. The two nations also engage in naval visits and training activities.

Italy and India are on opposite sides of a maritime system linking the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East and Europe and protecting the routes running through this space is an economic and security interest. India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) becomes relevant in this framework.

The IMEC for Italy provides a geographic link between its growing engagement in the Indo-Pacific and its traditional Mediterranean projection, while it offers India another way to strengthen ties with European markets through the Gulf and the Mediterranean.

"The 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the year dedicated to cultural tourism, both in 2027, will offer an opportunity to broaden these foundations further. The Guarini Institute intends to build on the first Track 1.5 dialogue with a larger initiative at John Cabot University next year," Emanuele Rossi wrote in the Decode39 report.

"The point, however, extends beyond commemoration: with a Special Strategic Partnership, an Action Plan running through 2029, a €20 billion trade target, growing defence cooperation, the European FTA and IMEC in the background, the challenge is now to turn this architecture into results. Eighty years after diplomatic relations began, Rome and New Delhi no longer need simply to reaffirm their desire for closer friendship: they need to define what, in practice, a Special Strategic Partnership can deliver," the author added.

On September 17, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wished PM Modi on his 76th birthday, saying that both nations continue to strengthen their "deep bond of friendship" and build together a future of cooperation and prosperity.

In response, PM Modi thanked PM Meloni for her warm wishes and noted that he looks forward to close cooperation between India and Italy.

Earlier this month, PM Modi congratulated Meloni on becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister in Italy's postwar history and wished her continued success in the years ahead. He appreciated her efforts in strengthening the Special Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

Meloni, thanking PM Modi, said that the ties between the two nations are right now stronger than ever before, while the "Special Strategic Partnership that we launched during our last meeting is the recognition of the importance of this bond and of the will to unite the expertise of our Nations to create new opportunities for growth, seizing the extraordinary opportunities for collaboration that we have before us".

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