PM Modi meets Italian PM Meloni at G20
Italian PM expresses solidarity over Delhi blast
PM Modi on Sunday caught up with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she expressed solidarity with India over the 10 November terror blast outside Delhi’s Red Fort. She subsequently reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to jointly fight terrorism.
In the midst of the talks, both leaders adopted the ‘India-Italy Joint Initiative to Counter Financing of Terrorism’, aimed at strengthening collaboration in tackling terrorism and its financing.
According to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a press release, the initiative aims to intense bilateral cooperation on countering terrorism and collaboration in global and multilateral platforms including the Financial Action task Force( FATF) and the Global Counter terrorism Forum (GCTF).
The meeting also focused on intensifying bilateral ties across trade, investment, technology, artificial intelligence, space, defence, security, research, innovation, and cultural cooperation.
The release noted that PM Meloni reiterated Italy’s strong support for the conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement and for the success of the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in 2026.
After the meeting, taking to his to X the PM wrote: “had a very good meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The India-Italy Strategic Partnership is maturing from strength to strength, greatly benefitting the people of both nations.”
Wheread the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that both leaders expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29, which aims to further enhance economic, technological, and cultural cooperation.
Italian PM Meloni also extended her support for India’s AI Summit in 2026, reflecting growing technological collaboration between the two nations.
News Edit KV Raman
