'Welcome to Rome, My Friend': Giorgia Meloni Welcomes PM Modi for India-Italy Talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Rome on Wednesday for the final leg of his five-nation visit, with his Italian counterpart welcoming him with a social media post saying: "Welcome to Rome, my friend!" During the visit, PM Modi is scheduled to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella, hold bilateral talks with Meloni and take part in a series of diplomatic engagements before returning to India on Wednesday. In a post on X, PM Modi said his visit would focus on expanding cooperation between the two countries through the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). "Landed in Rome, Italy. I will be meeting President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and holding discussions with them," he wrote. "This visit will focus on how

to boost India-Italy cooperation, especially focusing on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 will also be reviewed," he added. The Prime Minister further stated that he would visit the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to reinforce India’s support for multilateralism and global food security.

Expanding India-Italy Ties

The visit comes as India and Italy deepen cooperation in areas including trade, investment, defence, clean energy, innovation and technology under the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029. According to official figures, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $16.77bn in 2025, while cumulative foreign direct investment from Italy into India stood at $3.66bn between April 2000 and September 2025. PM Modi’s trip marks his first bilateral visit to Italy, after previously having gone for the G7 Summit in 2024 and attending a G20 Summit three years earlier. He is expected to meet Meloni on Wednesday at the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili.

Focus on Trade

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, known as IMEC, was launched through a memorandum signed in 2023 by partners including the European Union and the United States. The project aims to develop trade routes linking India with the Arabian Gulf and Europe. Officials said the two leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, including annual summits between the two heads of government and a target of increasing bilateral trade to €20bn by 2029.

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Bilateral trade between India and Italy exceeded €14bn in 2023, according to the Italian embassy in New Delhi quoted by news agency Reuters. Officials also said agreements would be signed covering maritime transport, agriculture, higher education, critical minerals, museum cooperation and efforts to combat economic and financial crime. PM Modi and Meloni are also due to attend a working lunch with senior executives from leading Indian and Italian companies to discuss further economic and investment cooperation.

International Issues on Agenda

The leaders are also expected to discuss a range of international issues, including developments in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and security in the Indo-Pacific region. India and Italy formally established a strategic partnership in 2023 and have since expanded collaboration in sectors including scientific research, trade and artificial intelligence.