Minister Crosetto meets the Minister of Defence of the Republic of India Shri Rajnath Singh
“Italy and India share a sense of respect for the other countries of the international community. The history of nations and men has been and continues to be changed by decisions that materialize rapidly. The signing of the Agreement between Italy and India has a high strategic value to relaunch our fruitful bilateral relations, also considering the changed geopolitical scenario of reference”.
Thus the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, in the cordial conversation with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, which took place today in Rome, at Villa Madama, which follows the visit to India, which was held last March, of the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni.
During the meeting, the issue of instability in the Middle East was also addressed, in light of the recent terrorist attacks in Israel and the strong attention to the Lebanon Mission – UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) was shared, where the Italian and Indian Armed Forces are jointly engaged.
At the end of the meeting, the Agreement between Italy and India for cooperation in the defense sector, which had expired in 2019, was renewed. Renewing this agreement is important in order to establish a G2G (Government to Government) relationship in the areas of mutual interest, to improve the exchange of personnel, technologies for training, training and exercises.
“The renewal of the agreement is a clear signal of the strengthening of mutual relations between the two Defenses. At a time when global stability requires joint engagement, it is crucial to invest in improving relations with non-NATO countries in order to address global problems and emerging challenges. The geographical distance between the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific is less than one might imagine and the interconnection between the two regions is strong”, underlined Minister Crosetto.
In this regard, the Indian Minister of Defense invited the Italian Armed Forces to participate in a joint exercise with logistical support in India.
Italy is actively engaged in this fundamental strategic quadrant with the European naval operations EUNAVFOR SOMALIA, Operation Atalanta (operation to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean) and European Maritime Awareness – Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH). All missions that aim to develop structured cooperation with those countries in the area with which there is commonality of interests and values.
In addition, the multipurpose offshore patrol boat “Morosini” has just concluded a naval campaign in this strategic sector, where it has carried out training activities with the main countries of the area. Finally, last August, Air Force units and personnel were engaged in the Indo-Pacific area, in joint training activities with the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF).
Cooperation between the two countries is also strategic with regard to the African continent: Africa will be fundamental in the next fifty years and even longer. Finally, various sectors and areas of mutual interest, economic and commercial collaboration in the field of research and development in the defence sector were examined.
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