Italy and India signed the Defence Cooperation Agreement on October 9, 2023, focusing on intelligence sharing and cooperation between the two nations’ security agencies and ratified by their respective governments.

The new agreement

On October 9, 2023, the governments of Italy and India signed the Defence Cooperation Agreement, which was formally ratified by the Council of Ministers. The pact intends to foster cooperative military training and increase defense policy cooperation, including R&D and industrial and commercial partnerships.

• The accord facilitates collaboration in the domain of security services and information sharing between the two intelligence agencies.
• The agreement was signed by Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.

A strategic partnership

Over time, their connection has been restored between the two governments following a diplomatic crisis sparked by a disagreement between two Italian soldiers in the Indian Ocean. During Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s March 2023 visit to India, the two nations strengthened their relationship to a strategic partnership.

• The new partnership between Italy and India, on the one hand, attests to China’s growing assertiveness, Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, and India’s increasing relevance in the post-pandemic international scene.
• However, it enables Italy to fortify its ties between the Indo-Pacific and the Mediterranean.
• The Blue & Raman submarine cable system, which would link Italy and India via the Middle East, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec), which was unveiled during the Indian G20 last year, are two noteworthy initiatives.

De-risking and friend-shoring

Elisabetta Belloni, the director general of the Department of Information for Security and a G7 envoy for the Italian government, spoke on supply-chain dangers in China at the Raisina Dialogue international gathering in New Delhi in February.

• She clarified that the Italian government “does not want to abandon the Chinese market, but we thought it was necessary to take measures to reduce risks,” about the political decision not to renew the Memorandum of Understanding.
• She noted that the government’s new approach is to provide alternatives by broadening networks for commerce and communication, diversifying supply chains, and bolstering ties with neighboring and friendly nations.
• She clarified that friend-shoring can serve as a deterrent to stop dependency from being turned into weapons, which is why this is so important.

Recently, GreatGameIndia reported that improving Russian-Taliban ties has created significant opportunities for India to influence Afghanistan’s economic development, counter China’s regional influence, and strengthen its strategic position through collaborative infrastructure projects.