Rome, May 20, 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India and Italy are working to establish an India-Italy Innovation Centre to link startups, research centres and industries in both countries. Speaking at a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Modi described technology and innovation as the engines of the bilateral relationship and highlighted opportunities in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space and civil nuclear energy.
He said defence and security cooperation is expanding and reflects deep mutual trust, with growing collaboration between the armed forces and defence industries. The Defence Industrial Roadmap, Modi noted, has opened pathways for co-development and co-production that strengthen industrial ties in the defence sector.
Modi also underscored India and Italy’s shared interests as major maritime powers, calling for closer cooperation on shipping, port modernisation, logistics and the blue economy. Both leaders discussed taking their partnership into third countries and agreed to pursue concrete, mutually beneficial projects in Africa to promote sustainable development and shared economic growth.
The comments followed delegation-level talks between Modi and Meloni. Modi arrived in Rome on Tuesday as the final stop of a five-nation tour that included Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.
