PM Modi Receives Warm Welcome from Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Talks to Boost Strategic Partnership

Rome, May 2026 : Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warmly welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rome on Tuesday night as he arrived in Italy on the final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour.

Extending a personal greeting, Meloni posted on X saying, “Welcome to Rome, my friend!”, reflecting the strong personal rapport between the two leaders and the growing warmth in India–Italy relations.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to hold high-level bilateral talks with Prime Minister Meloni and also meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella during his visit. The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation across key strategic and economic sectors.

According to official plans, PM Modi and PM Meloni will meet at the historic Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome on Wednesday, where both leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration aimed at deepening the India–Italy strategic partnership.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted the significance of the visit, stating that it is “scripting a new chapter in the India–Italy Strategic Partnership.” He added that PM Modi was warmly received at the airport by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

The MEA further noted that India and Italy share a longstanding and multifaceted relationship, and the current visit is expected to add fresh momentum to bilateral cooperation.

The visit comes at a time when both nations are actively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029, which serves as a comprehensive roadmap for cooperation across multiple domains.

The plan includes expansion of bilateral trade, which reached USD 16.77 billion in 2025, along with cumulative foreign direct investment from Italy to India amounting to USD 3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025. Key areas of collaboration also include defence and security, clean energy transition, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.

Officials from the Ministry of External Affairs stated that the visit is expected to further enhance India’s engagement with Europe, particularly in trade and investment, in the backdrop of the recently concluded India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

PM Modi’s visit is also being seen as an opportunity to strengthen India’s strategic outreach in Europe and reinforce partnerships with key global economies.

The Prime Minister had last visited Italy in June 2024 to attend the G7 Summit, and this current visit marks another important step in expanding bilateral engagement between the two countries.