Italian PM Meloni welcomes ‘friend’ PM Modi with selfie and warm message

Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni welcomes Prime Minister on Tuesday Narendra Modi After arriving in Rome, he will begin the final leg of his five-nation tour.Meloni shared a photo with Prime Minister Modi on X and wrote: “Welcome to Rome, my friend!”An Italian government official said the visit marks an important diplomatic engagement as India and Italy seek to strengthen bilateral relations and elevate their ties to a special strategic partnership.Like several European countries, Italy has been seeking deeper engagement with India amid changing geopolitical dynamics. The European Union finalized a pending trade deal with India earlier this year, in part to reduce reliance on the United States, Reuters reported.Click here to get live updates on PM Modi’s visit Prime Minister Modi’s visit is his first bilateral visit to Italy, although he has previously traveled to Italy for the G7 Summit in 2024 and the G20 meeting three years ago. During his stay, he planned to meet Meloni on Wednesday at the historic 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili.Posting on X after arriving in Rome, Prime Minister Modi said that discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation between India and Italy, especially on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).Launched through the MoU 2023, IMEC involves partners such as the European Union and the United States to develop integrated trade routes connecting India with the Arabian Gulf and Europe.ALSO READ | Italy and India: Indo-Mediterranean Strategic PartnershipThe two leaders are expected to adopt a joint statement to deepen the strategic partnership, including holding annual summit-level meetings, and set a target of 20 billion euros ($23.2 billion) in bilateral trade by 2029, the official said.According to the Italian Embassy in New Delhi, bilateral trade between the two countries will exceed 14 billion euros in 2023.India and Italy upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2023, expanding cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, scientific research, trade and defense.During the visit, Prime Minister Modi and Meloni will also attend a working lunch with executives from leading industrial groups in India and Italy to discuss opportunities in investment, technology and manufacturing sectors.A range of agreements are expected to be signed covering maritime transport, agriculture, higher education, critical minerals, museum cooperation and efforts to combat economic and financial crime, the official added.The two leaders will also exchange views on major global issues such as the conflict in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and security in the Indo-Pacific region.Prime Minister Modi also said that he plans to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella and visit the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Prime Minister Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora upon his arrival in Rome. He interacted with community members and watched cultural performances at the hotel.A painting of the Ghats of Varanasi created by an Italian artist inspired by Indian culture was also presented to the Prime Minister, symbolizing the cultural ties between the two countries.Prime Minister Modi’s visit comes at a time when India-Italy relations continue to develop momentum. The two sides are promoting the “Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029” covering trade, defence, energy, innovation and people-to-people exchanges.Prime Minister Modi visited Norway early in his trip and later visited Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.