India-Italy Relations Explained

India-Italy relations are the bilateral ties between the Republic of India and the Italian Republic, which began with diplomatic relations soon after India’s independence and have been elevated to a strategic partnership in recent years. The relationship rests on trade and investment, defence and technology cooperation, shared interest in the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific regions, and strong people-to-people links.

India-Italy relations have grown steadily since the early 2020s, helped by regular contact between the two prime ministers, Italian participation in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and a migration and mobility agreement. The relationship also had a difficult period over the 2012 Enrica Lexie marines case, which has since been resolved. Last updated: 8 October 2026.

Key Takeaways

• India and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1947, and the relationship has since developed into a strategic partnership.
• Italy is a leading European Union trading partner of India and is known for investment in machinery, automotive components, fashion, design and engineering.
• Italy is a participant in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which was announced at the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023.
• India and Italy cooperate in defence, space, science and technology and renewable energy, including green hydrogen.
• The Enrica Lexie marines case, which began in 2012, was settled through international arbitration and compensation, and the Supreme Court of India closed the case in 2021.
• A large Indian community lives in Italy, and the two countries have signed a migration and mobility agreement to support legal movement of workers and students.

How did India-Italy relations begin?

India-Italy relations began when the two countries established formal diplomatic ties in 1947, soon after India gained independence, although contacts between the two civilisations are far older. Trade between the Roman world and the Indian subcontinent in antiquity, and the later activity of Italian traders and travellers, laid early foundations of mutual awareness.

Cultural exchange has been a recurring theme. Italian scholars have long studied Sanskrit and Indian philosophy, and in the twentieth century figures such as Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi visited Italy. Modern ties were more modest through much of the Cold War period, when both countries had different alliance structures, with Italy a founding member of NATO and India a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement. Economic engagement increased after India’s economic liberalisation in the early 1990s.

What does the strategic partnership between India and Italy involve?

The India-Italy strategic partnership is a framework under which the two governments agreed to deepen cooperation across political, economic, defence, technology and cultural fields, with regular high-level dialogue. The leaders of the two countries announced the elevation of the relationship to a strategic partnership in the early 2020s, and later arrangements have set out joint action plans for several years of cooperation.

The partnership is built around periodic summit-level meetings, foreign office consultations and sector-specific dialogues. Both sides have described shared priorities such as a rules-based international order, freedom of navigation, supply chain resilience, climate action and the stability of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific regions. The two countries also meet in multilateral settings, including the G20, in which both participate.

How important is Italy as a trade and investment partner for India?

Italy is an important trade and investment partner of India within the European Union, with bilateral trade running to the low double-digit billions of US dollars in recent years. Italy is among the larger EU economies and a member of the G7.

Trade between the two countries covers a wide range of goods:

• Indian exports to Italy: typically include textiles and garments, engineering goods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, and agricultural and marine products.
• Italian exports to India: typically include industrial machinery, machine tools, mechanical equipment, chemicals and specialised products such as packaging and food-processing machinery.

Italian companies are known for strengths in machinery, automotive and aerospace components, textiles, fashion, food and design. Several Italian firms operate in India in sectors such as automobiles and tyres, engineering, power equipment and consumer goods. Indian companies also invest in Italy, including in the automotive, information technology and engineering sectors. Because trade policy is largely set at the level of the European Union, the wider India-EU trade negotiations also shape what Italy and India can do on tariffs and market access.

What is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and Italy’s role in it?

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a proposed multi-modal connectivity project linking India to Europe through the Gulf region and the Mediterranean, and Italy is one of the countries that endorsed it. It was announced on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi in September 2023.

The IMEC concept envisages railways, shipping routes, electricity and data links, and a hydrogen pipeline, connecting Indian ports to the Gulf, then across the Arabian Peninsula to ports on the Mediterranean, and onward to Europe. Participants in the initial announcement included India, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union, France, Germany and Italy.

Italy is attractive as a European gateway because of its Mediterranean ports, including Trieste, Genoa and others on its coasts. Italian officials have shown interest in the corridor as a way of boosting trade, logistics and energy links. As with any large infrastructure plan, implementation depends on financing, agreements among many parties and regional stability, so the project is a long-term effort.

How do India and Italy cooperate in defence?

India and Italy cooperate in defence through dialogue between their armed forces, industry partnerships and naval and training exchanges. Italy has a notable defence industry, and its companies work in aerospace, helicopters, shipbuilding and electronics.

The record of defence ties includes both opportunity and difficulty. Indian procurement of Italian systems has included naval and aviation equipment over the years. A well-known setback was the 2010 contract for VVIP helicopters with an Italian-British firm, which India cancelled in 2014 after allegations of irregularities, leading to investigations in both countries. Since then, official statements from both governments have stressed co-development, technology partnership and joint production as a basis for fresh cooperation, in line with India’s emphasis on domestic manufacturing.

The two navies have also held exercises and port visits, which reflect a shared interest in maritime security, anti-piracy operations and safe sea lanes.

What is the space and science cooperation between India and Italy?

India and Italy cooperate in space and science mainly through agreements between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), along with scientific and technological exchange programmes. Both countries have established space programmes and share interests in earth observation, satellite technology and scientific research.

The wider science and technology partnership includes:

• Joint research projects in areas such as materials science, health, agriculture and energy.
• Exchange of scientists and researchers through bilateral programmes.
• University and institutional links, including student exchanges.
• Startup and innovation dialogues that connect Indian and Italian entrepreneurs.

Such cooperation has been described by both governments as a way to build on complementary strengths, with Italy offering advanced engineering and research capacity and India offering scale, software capability and a large pool of scientific talent.

How are India and Italy working together on renewable energy?

India and Italy work together on renewable energy through investment, technology partnerships and dialogue on green hydrogen, solar power and energy efficiency. Both countries have set climate goals and share interest in reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

India’s large renewable energy expansion offers opportunities for European firms, and Italian energy and engineering companies have shown interest in solar, wind, grid and hydrogen projects. Italy, for its part, is a significant energy-transition market in southern Europe. Both countries are also associated with international climate platforms, and Italy has supported the International Solar Alliance launched by India and France. This convergence has made clean energy one of the most frequently cited areas for future growth in the relationship.

What was the Enrica Lexie marines case?

The Enrica Lexie marines case was a legal dispute that began in February 2012, when two Italian marines on board the oil tanker Enrica Lexie were accused of shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala. The incident strained diplomatic relations for several years.

The two countries disagreed on jurisdiction. India argued that the incident occurred within its jurisdiction and that its courts should try the marines. Italy argued that the marines were state officials on anti-piracy duty and were entitled to immunity, and that Italy had jurisdiction. The matter was referred to international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The resolution through a legal process allowed both countries to move past the dispute and rebuild political contact. Observers on both sides treat the settlement as an example of a bilateral disagreement being handled by international law rather than escalation.

What is the migration and mobility agreement between India and Italy?

The India-Italy migration and mobility agreement is an arrangement between the two governments to facilitate legal movement of workers, students and professionals and to cooperate against irregular migration. It reflects Italy’s demand for skilled and seasonal labour and India’s large working-age population.

The framework aims to make travel and employment pathways more orderly, including for students, researchers and workers in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and engineering. Mobility arrangements typically include provisions on recognition of qualifications, protection of workers’ rights and combating human trafficking and illegal recruitment. Such agreements are common between India and European countries and are part of a wider effort to link labour supply and demand legally.

What are the people-to-people and cultural links?

People-to-people links between India and Italy include a sizable Indian diaspora in Italy, student exchanges, tourism and shared interest in cinema, cuisine, art and philosophy. The Indian community in Italy numbers well over a hundred thousand and is concentrated in northern and central regions, where many work in agriculture, dairy farming and industry.

• Education: Indian students study in Italian universities, especially in design, engineering, architecture and management, and Italian language courses are offered in India.
• Tourism: Italy is a popular destination for Indian travellers, and Italian visitors have long travelled to India for its heritage and spiritual traditions.
• Culture: yoga, Indian classical arts, Bollywood films and Indian cuisine are popular in Italy, while Italian opera, art, fashion and food are widely admired in India.
• Heritage and scholarship: Indology and Sanskrit studies have a long tradition in Italian universities.

What are the future prospects and challenges?

The future of India-Italy relations looks positive but depends on turning political goodwill into concrete projects. Both governments have set ambitions to increase trade and investment, cooperate in advanced technology and expand connectivity through IMEC.

Several factors will shape the relationship:

• The pace of India-European Union trade negotiations, which affects tariffs and investment rules.
• Progress in implementing IMEC, which needs finance and regional stability.
• Defence industrial cooperation that moves from agreements to production.
• Regulatory and visa processes that affect business, students and workers.
• Differences in how each country views certain global crises, which require continued dialogue.

Bottom Line

India-Italy relations have developed from early diplomatic ties in 1947 into a broad strategic partnership covering trade, defence, space, clean energy and mobility. The resolution of the marines case removed a major irritant, and shared interest in the IMEC corridor and in technology cooperation provides a basis for further growth. The pace of future progress will depend on practical implementation of the agreements both sides have announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did India and Italy establish diplomatic relations?

India and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1947, soon after India’s independence. The ties were modest during the Cold War but grew after India’s economic reforms of the early 1990s. They have been elevated to a strategic partnership in recent years.

What is the India-Italy strategic partnership?

The India-Italy strategic partnership is a framework for deeper cooperation between the two governments in trade, defence, technology, energy and culture. It involves regular meetings between leaders and ministers and joint plans for multi-year cooperation. Both countries link it to shared priorities such as a rules-based international order and maritime security.

What is Italy’s role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor?

Italy is one of the countries that endorsed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) announced at the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi. Its Mediterranean ports are seen as a possible European gateway for the corridor. The project is a long-term plan whose implementation depends on financing and regional cooperation.

What was the Enrica Lexie marines case between India and Italy?

The Enrica Lexie case was a dispute that began in 2012 when two Italian marines were accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala. The countries disagreed over jurisdiction, and the matter went to international arbitration. In 2020 the tribunal held that the marines had immunity while recognising India’s right to compensation, and the Supreme Court of India closed the case in 2021.

What does India import from and export to Italy?

India mainly exports textiles, engineering goods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and agricultural products to Italy. It mainly imports industrial machinery, machine tools and other mechanical equipment from Italy. Trade between the two countries is valued in the low double-digit billions of US dollars.

How large is the Indian community in Italy?

The Indian community in Italy numbers well over a hundred thousand people and is concentrated in northern and central Italy. Many work in agriculture, dairy farming and industry. The two governments have also agreed on a migration and mobility framework to support legal movement of workers and students.

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