On Wednesday, the Chamber of Deputies of Italy approved a military cooperation pact with India, now pending approval from the Senate. Rooted in the 2025-2029 action plan, it establishes strategic meetings, partnerships and a working group
Wednesday… The Italian Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved the bilateral agreement between Italy and India on military cooperation, focusing on training, technology and the defense industry, signed in Rome on October 9, 2023.
- The measure now goes to the Senate for the vote.
Decode the news. The agreement strengthens the strategic axis between Rome and New Delhi in the Indo-Mediterranean context-an increasingly central region of global dynamics, connecting Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific theaters.
- The military cooperation agreement is not only a bilateral step: it contributes to the construction of security architectures on several levels and improves the international positioning of the Italian defense industry.
Content of the agreement. Thanks to annual meetings, the two countries will define strategic priorities, monitor progress and adjust the lines of cooperation to developing world scenarios.
- Partners are committed to promoting industrial cooperation between defense companies, developing joint initiatives in production, research and technological exchanges, facilitation of dialogue between governments and industry stakeholders and the creation of an environment favorable to companies for bilateral defense trade.
The context. The agreement is accompanied by the 2025-2029 joint strategic action plan, which was signed at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.
- As part of this plan, a technical understanding of understanding was also signed in April 2025 on the sidelines of the 11th Bilateral Committee Italy-Inde, organized by the National Armaments Directorate of Palazzo Guidoni in Rome.
- Indian defense secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and India ambassador to Italy, Vani Rao were present.
- Since the beginning of the year, Italy and India have organized two commercial forums, which have both focused on aerospace defense and cooperation.
Political voice. “In today’s geopolitical climate, agreements like this are essential: Italy and India share common interests for defense and security through Indo-meterranée, where we continue to work every day on the construction of the IMEC, the geoeconomic corridor connecting Europe, Asia and the Middle East” Decoded39.
- According to Formentini, the Defense Cooperation Agreement is not simply a bilateral strengthening – it also has regional and international implications.
- “Our companies can contribute to the development of the defense capacity of India, which, at the same time, is an integral part of Indo-Mediterranean security.”
What we look at. The joint working group will serve as an operational engine of the agreement.
- Its task will be to identify the priority areas of cooperation – such as cyber defense, space security and naval technologies – and create the conditions of structured industrial partnerships with the commercial and geopolitical impact.
- At the same time, Indian diplomacy is engaged in discussions with European institutions to resolve key issues in writing a free trade agreement (ALE).
- An Indian-EU free trade agreement would further improve trade relations between India and Italy.
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