NEW DELHI (Apr 30): India and Italy on Thursday agreed to build a defence industrial framework focused on the joint production of military equipment, a step taken as both countries respond to a changing security environment, including the ongoing situation in West Asia.
The move to strengthen defence and strategic cooperation came during discussions between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto in New Delhi.
After the talks, both sides introduced a bilateral Military Cooperation Plan (MCP) 2026–27 to guide future engagements between the armed forces of the two nations.
Singh said they reviewed a broad range of regional and global matters, including developments in West Asia. He added that both countries also explored opportunities to expand mutually beneficial defence industry cooperation under India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat programme and Italy’s defence initiatives.
According to the defence ministry, both leaders reaffirmed that the India-Italy strategic partnership is grounded in shared principles such as peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect.
They also noted alignment on important maritime concerns, including cooperation and information sharing through the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region.
Before the meeting, Crosetto paid tribute at the National War Memorial, honouring soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the nation. He also reviewed a tri-service Guard of Honour.
Within the broader defence partnership, both countries are working to enhance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, aiming to improve interoperability and coordination.
They are also examining ways to strengthen collaboration between public and private sectors, with a focus on technology sharing, joint production, and co-development of defence platforms and equipment.