Meloni meeting, IMEC, trade, FAO – what’s on their agenda?
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Rome on Tuesday for the last leg of his five-nation tour, where he is scheduled to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella, hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and attend diplomatic events before leaving for India on Wednesday.“Welcome to Rome, my friend!” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted on Instagram, sharing a photo with PM Modi.The high-profile transit, spanning the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy from May 15 to 20, comes at a time when the international community is grappling with serious geopolitical headwinds, including the conflict in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war.
What is on PM Modi’s agenda for Italy?
India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): PM Modi said the visit will focus on promoting India-Italy cooperation, with a special focus on IMEC, a strategic connectivity project aimed at enhancing trade and infrastructure ties between India, the Middle East and Europe.- Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029: The two leaders will review a comprehensive framework for cooperation in a range of areas including trade, investment, defense and security, clean energy, innovation, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges.
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trade and investment : Trade between India and Italy to reach Rs 16.77 billion in 2025, while cumulative FDI between April 2000 and September 2025 stood at Rs 3.66 billion. The discussion will focus on further expanding economic ties. - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Strengthening India’s commitment to multilateralism and global food security, PM Modi will visit the headquarters of the UN agency in Rome.
- Cultural and diaspora connections: PM Modi interacted with members of the Indian community in Rome, watched cultural performances and viewed a painting of the ghats of Varanasi made by an Italian artist inspired by Indian culture.