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Transcript of Special Briefing by Foreign Secretary on the State Visit of Prime Minister of Italy to India (March 02, 2023)

India - Ministry of External Affairs

March 02, 2023

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Very good afternoon to all of you. Thank you for joining for the special briefing from the Sushma Swaraj Bhavan. We've just seen the conclusion of the bilateral discussions on the occasion of the State Visit of Honourable Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic. Visit is still ongoing and her conversations with the Prime Minister have concluded in Hyderabad House. To give us a sense of the discussions and the visit so far, we have the privilege of having with us Foreign Secretary sir, Shri Vinay Kwatra. Also joining us on the dais, Shri Sanjay Verma, Secretary West in the Ministry of External Affairs, as well as Joint Secretary (Europe West) in the Ministry, Sandeep Chakravorty. Sir, may I hand over the floor to you.

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you very much. Secretary West, Sanjay Verma, Sandeep, friends from the media, thank you very much for coming here this afternoon for this special briefing on the ongoing visit of Italian Prime Minister to India. I'll just make some brief opening remarks and would be happy to take questions thereafter.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, Her Excellency Ms. Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic is currently on her first State Visit to India. Prime Minister of Italy is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, His Excellency Antonio Tajani and a high-powered business delegation. This is the first bilateral VVIP visit from Italy to India after a gap of five years. As you are aware, Honourable Prime Minister Shri Modi and Prime Minister of Italy had held extensive and productive discussions on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia in November last year.

In terms of program, Prime Minister of Italy arrived earlier today morning, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt ceremony in the Rashtrapati Bhavan and has just concluded her official talks with the Honourable Prime Minister, both in the restricted format and also in the delegation level format. She also paid her tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Raj Ghat, and thereafter, Honourable Prime Minister hosted Prime Minister of Italy over luncheon at the Hyderabad House. Later during the day, Prime Minister of Italy will also call on Honourable Rashtrapati Ji. Prime Minister Meloni will also participate in the Eighth Raisina Dialogue as the chief guest and keynote speaker alongside Prime Minister Modi later this evening.

In terms of the substance of discussions and the decisions and the understanding that the two leaders arrived at, I will just make some broad brush eight to ten points, which were key takeaways from this meeting. First of all, both the leaders agreed and decided to elevate India‑Italy partnership to the level of strategic partnership. Two, as per Italian Prime Minister herself, her visit to India was a matter of strategic choice. The fact that she decided to undertake the first bilateral visit in Asia to India was a strategic choice and not just a routine bilateral visit.

Three, Prime Minister of Italy appreciated the leadership of Honourable Prime Minister on matters of regional and global importance, in particular when it comes to concerns, interests, and priorities of the global South. Four, the discussions covered the entire gamut of bilateral, regional, and global cooperation. Five, and I must mention this important point, both the leaders held discussions in a very warm, cordial, friendly, frank atmosphere between the two leaders. A strong bond of friendship between the two leaders was very, very clearly visible during the discussions.

Five, in terms of areas of importance, which were discussed on which important decisions have been taken in terms of next steps. First is the area of defense cooperation. The Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation has been concluded. In terms of subsectors within the defense, it was clear during the discussion that with legacy issues behind us, the door is now open for the industries on the two sides to cooperate more strongly in this area, particularly in the field of manufacturing, co-production, co-design, co-innovation. Two, military exercises to be expanded and deepened to all levels in the armed forces. Three, maritime cooperation, and I'll talk a little bit more about it when we come to specific areas of maritime cooperation little later.

The sixth element which they discussed, again, an important element of our strategic partnership besides the defense was need for deepened cooperation in the field of space, cyber, and sea as three of the key strategic sectors in our cooperation. Work will now begin between the two sides to identify specific areas of partnership in each of these domains and of course their subsectors.

Another element of cooperation which was identified for progress is HADR cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and within that especially the need for joint exercises, greater number of joint exercises to better prepare our systems to respond to such challenges wherever they occur in the world. Eighth, the broader segment of economic cooperation, the focus was on four or five key subsectors. First on trade. As you would have seen and heard the two Prime Ministers speak during their remarks to the press, bilateral trade volumes between India and Italy are at all-time high. Last year I think we clocked about $15 billion dollars. Growing investment between the two economies, Prime Minister underlined to the Italian Prime Minister the scale, the extent, and the range of opportunity that exists in the Indian economic ecosystem for the Italian Industries to come and participate with.

Third sub-segment within that was a cluster of design, innovation, and manufacturing. Again, converging on the complementarities between the two economies when you look at these three items in the cluster. I should also mention that just as we speak a little while from now, there would also be a CEO roundtable between the business delegations of the two countries, which is being co-chaired by Honourable Commerce & Industry Minister on our side and the visiting Foreign Trade Minister from the Italian side.

The fourth subsector which was talked about was on the friend shoring and cooperation on the supply chain resilience partnership in that, and fifth subsector, a crucial sub-sector which was spoken to by both the leaders was relating to complementarities, involving the two economies in terms of skill-set available in India, and the industry needs which are there in the Italian economy. These five subsectors within the larger scale of economic cooperation, larger segment of economic cooperation were spoken about.

Ninth, related area but equally of standalone importance in itself was that both sides agreed to progress on the migration and mobility partnership agreement. A Declaration of Intent was signed between the two countries on this to take forward our cooperation in this fast-growing segment of partnership between different economies of the world and India.

The other important segment which was highlighted by the two leaders was cooperation in the field of culture and people-to-people connectivity. In fact, the Italian Prime Minister described India and Italy as two cultural superpowers and both of them agreed to strengthen our partnership in this space, particularly also in the field of higher education, exchange of students, and of course cultural exchanges between our two countries.

Tenth, on regional and global issues, I'll just highlight four or five sub-elements which were discussed and then stop thereafter. First of all, the Italian Prime Minister expressed very strong support, wholehearted, full support for India's presidency of the G20. Second, deep understanding and appreciation for India's position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Three, both leaders shared concern on the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the global economic situation, in particular its impact on the more vulnerable economies of the global South. And four, agreed to cooperate deeply in the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister welcomed Italy joining in the IPOI, Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, which was launched by the Prime Minister a few years ago, and in this context, they discussed at some length on what the two countries can do to advance their cooperation in the maritime space between the two countries.

I would stop here and if there are questions, me and of course Secretary (West) is there to answer. Thank you.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you very much, sir. Please introduce yourself and your organization before you take the question.

Madhurendra Kumar: Sir, main Madhurendra News Nation se. Jaise ke aapne batya ke Indo-Pacific cooperation ko lekar bhi dono desho ke bich batcheet hui. Main janna chahunga ke Indo-Pacific me strategic point of view se bhi India aur Italy ek dusre ke kareeb aayenge aur kya maritime exercise ki bhi sambhavna hai. (Question in Hindi: Approximate Translation) Sir, I am Madhurendra from News Nation. As you said, both country leaders have had a conversation regarding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. My question is, in the Indo-Pacific, from strategic point of view, will India and Italy come closer. Also, is there any possibility of maritime exercise?

Rishikesh: Rishikesh from PTI. So is there any specific platform identified for co-production and manufacturing under Make in India product, means Make in India...

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Specific platform?

Rishikesh: Yes.

Sidhant: Hi sir. Sidhant from WION. How much the Chinese aggressiveness was discussed during the meeting between the two leaders?

Sudhi Ranjan: Sir, Sudhi Ranjan from Bloomberg. Sir, if you could give us some more details on the defense cooperation, what areas, and in the strategic framework, what are the key areas that Italy and India would want to look at going forward?

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you. Jaha tak Indo-Pacific me samarik sahyog aur sahakarya ka prashana hai, maritime domain me khas taur pe jo aapne kaha. Jaise ke maine kaha ke dono netao ke bich me vichar vimarsha ke dauran, ye spasht roop se samne aaya ke Indo-Pacific ka jo kshetra hai, wo ek samarik kshetra hai. Us kshetra ki jo chunautiya hai, us kshetra ke jo avsar hai, wo bhi samarik hai. Unki samarikta ke madde nazar, dono deshon ke bich me sahyog, sahakar aavashyak bhi hai aur uske avsar bhi hai. Svabhavik hai ke maritime kshetra jo hai us Indo-Pacific me samarik sahyog ka ek mahatvapurna bhag hai, aur maritime sahyog ke bhi bhinn ang hai. Usme jaise aapne bataya, exercises, wo ek bhag hai. Aur bhi uske tatva hai jo ki usme nihit hai. To jab bhi maritime sahyog, maritime suraksha sahyog ka prashana uthega, ye svabhavik hai ke ham sabhi prashano ko jo hai madde nazar leke hi dono desh aur dono vyavasthayen aage badhengi. (Answered in Hindi: Approximate Translation) As far as strategic cooperation in Indo-Pacific is concerned, especially in maritime domain. As I said, during the talks between the two leaders, it clearly came out that Indo-Pacific is a strategic region. The challenges and opportunities of that region are strategic. In view of their strategic value, support and cooperation between India and Italy is both important, as well as there are opportunities in it. Obviously, maritime domain is an important part of strategic cooperation in Indo-Pacific, and there are different elements of maritime cooperation. Maritime exercise, which you mentioned, is an element of it. There are other elements as well. So whenever questions on maritime cooperation, maritime defense cooperation will be raised, it's obvious that both countries will take into account all such questions and issues, going forward.

On this entire question of the defense cooperation, platform for co-production, co-innovation, and Sudhi your question on specificity, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, while talking about the defense cooperation, the two leaders focused on three or four specific elements. First of all, it's important and the two leaders recognized it to be important that the legacy issues in our defense and security partnership, since they are behind us, it is important that the two systems, the two economies, the two industries now begin to move forward and identify specific areas, one. Two, within those specific areas, elements which are ready to move forward in terms of direct and tangible cooperation.

There, given the nature of defense industry on both sides, it was felt necessary, it was felt very timely that the cooperation in the field of manufacturing in harnessing the kind of ecosystem that is available in India both in terms of highly skilled manpower, in terms of production base, which is available in India, in terms of user base that is available in India, in terms of our large defense capacities, in terms of not just our own needs but how India and Italy can partner to supply to the rest of the world, how Indian industry can be part of the global supply chains through partnership with Italy, military exercises, as I mentioned at all different levels.

All these are elements within the larger set of defense sector engagement and cooperation between the two countries. At this stage, I don't think... it's perhaps a little too premature for the two systems to talk about individual platforms or equipment sets in this, but going forward, we would only assume that the industry on both sides will come together, will identify the specific sectors within the defense field that they need to move forward on, and forge and build industrial partnership around those areas of cooperation.

Yeah, on your question from Sidhant on the Chinese aggression, you know, as I mentioned earlier in response to the first question that when they spoke of, one, elevating our partnership to strategic level; two, when they spoke about the regional and the global situation the way it's developing, naturally, the challenges and the opportunities in the Indo-Pacific form an important constituent of it. Pretty much all important developments, regionally and globally, figured as part of that.

Both leaders shared their perspective on how they look at developments unfolding in different parts of the world, how the two can come together to, you know, partner in a manner that we are able to harness the opportunities, but also mitigate the shared challenges that we face, including in particular in the strategic domain.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you, sir. We're running out of time, okay. I'll just take that.

Akhilesh Suman: Sir, I am Akhilesh Suman from Sansad TV. Can you throw some more light on Russia-Ukraine conflict? What was Italian Prime Minister's...

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Go ahead please.

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Akhilesh, can you please repeat your question?

Akhilesh Suman: I just wanted you to throw some more light on Russia-Ukraine conflict, what was Italian Prime Minister's expectation from us, and what was our response.

Shashank Mattoo: Shashank Mattoo from the Mint. Sir, you mentioned maritime cooperation. Before the Prime Minister's arrival, there was talk of Italy posting a liaison officer to the Information Fusion Center, and another question was about whether we'll see more of an Italian military footprint in terms of under the rubric of maritime cooperation in this part of the world.

Ajay: Ajay from Doordarshan News. Sir, what are the five sectors that you mentioned, I believe this is space, cyber, sea skills and industries, if I'm not wrong, please correct me. Please give us the detail about this migration and mobility partnership agreement. Does it...

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: May I request instead of asking FS to press, it's on record. We will get it to you.

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: I thought I mentioned much more than five actually in that sense. Akhilesh on Russia-Ukraine, very quickly as I said right up in the beginning, there was a very deep understanding and appreciation by the Italian Prime Minister of India's position on Russia-Ukraine. She appreciated very much and recognized very much that India as the voice of peace, India's advocacy, Prime Minister's advocacy, that dialogue and diplomacy is a path forward, is the way forward, is perhaps the only way forward to resolve the conflict. It was very, very deeply appreciated, and both leaders agreed to stay in regular touch on the situation and on Russia-Ukraine.

Shashank to your question, on liaison at the IFC, I think that has been done. So it's a confirmation. I think on the larger question of military presence, I have already covered it under the rubric of what I said earlier in field of defense cooperation. I'm sure things will begin to flow out of that. It's not correct for me to highlight specific or something which is yet to happen and we'll see it down the line.

To Doordarshan question, I think I commented on, I underlined and highlighted sectors many more than five. Yeah, on the MMP, as I said Declaration of Intent has already been signed on the mobility and migration partnership agreement. I think it's a great arrangement at multiple levels. It's a strong, good arrangement of the economic-level, because it meets the industry. It's also very good arrangement at the level of people-to-people connectivity, because it brings the two societies close, especially the youth segments of the society. As a result, it brings the relationship much closer, makes it more deeper, something which is of tremendous value to all of us.

Shri Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson: Thank you very much, sir. Thank you also to Secretary (West) sir, as well as Joint Secretary (Europe West) for being here.