New Delhi, March 20 – India and Italy held the 9th Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in New Delhi on Friday, discussing the full range of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Officials from India and Italy expressed satisfaction with the growing strategic partnership between India and the European Union (EU) and welcomed the conclusion of the landmark India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations, the signing of a Security and Defence Partnership, and the Comprehensive Framework on Cooperation on Mobility. They discussed key developments in the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, and other global and regional issues of shared interest.
"The FOC provided an opportunity to review and discuss the full range of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) 2025-29, particularly in sectors such as trade and economy, technology, space, research and innovation, defence and security, counter-terrorism, renewable energy, education, and people-to-people ties," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
"Both sides agreed on the expeditious implementation of the India-Italy Joint Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism, in line with their joint commitment to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner. Both sides are also working to hold the first Maritime Security Dialogue to enhance collaboration for safety, security, and growth across the maritime domain," it added.
The two sides agreed to further strengthen collaboration in skills development and mobility, including in the healthcare sector, within the framework of the Migration and Mobility Agreement. The Indian delegation was led by Secretary (West), MEA, Sibi George, while the Italian delegation was led by Ambassador Nicoletta Bombardiere, Director General for Globalisation and Global Issues at Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The Foreign Office Consultations were held against the backdrop of regular and frequent high-level engagement between the two nations, with the most recent ones being meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Georgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November last year, and a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Delhi in December 2025.
"India-Italy bilateral relations are on an upward trajectory, with regular high-level interactions, ministerial dialogues, and growing engagements at the private sector level. Both sides look forward to continued engagement, including regular meetings of institutional mechanisms in trade and investment, defence, science and technology, for the timely implementation of the Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) across all domains to further deepen the India-Italy strategic partnership," the MEA stated.
