The agenda of the Joint Defence Committee was to enhance and encourage a “structured dialogue” between Indian and Italian defence firms
India and Italy on Tuesday discussed a range of issues, including ways to boost cooperation in key areas like trade and investment. During his day-long visit, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte held a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and covered a number of areas, including healthcare, aerospace, education, clean technology, renewable energy and information and communication technology.
The highlight of Conte’s visit was his participation in the 24th India-Italy Technology Summit, organised by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The objective of the summit was to facilitate technology transfers, joint ventures, research and development, and market access between industry and research institutions in the two countries.
Both sides also discussed the issue of defence cooperation under the established framework of a Joint Defence Committee which was set up last year during Modi’s visit to Milan. The agenda of the Joint Defence Committee was to enhance and encourage a “structured dialogue” between Indian and Italian defence firms. Several Italian defence firms have expressed an interest to join the ‘Make in India’ programme.
Earlier this year, an Italian court had acquitted former Finmeccanica president Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini in a case related to the alleged illegal payment of 560 million euros in a deal to sell 12 AW101 helicopters to the Indian Air Force.
Bilateral trade between the countries increased to $10.5 billion in 2017-18, up from $8.8 billion in the previous fiscal. Italy is India’s fifth largest trading partner in EU and the annual trade turnover between the two countries was $10.4 billion in 2017-18.
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 "Prime Minister Narendra ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi (right) and Giuseppe Conte in Delhi")
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