New Delhi, Apr 30 (BNP): India and Italy on Thursday agreed to develop a new defence industrial framework for the co-production of military hardware, marking a significant step forward in strategic and industrial cooperation between the two countries.
The decision was reached during bilateral talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in New Delhi. The discussions focused on strengthening defence ties amid an evolving global security environment, including the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
Following the meeting, both sides unveiled the Military Cooperation Plan (MCP) 2026–27, outlining a roadmap for future engagements between the armed forces of India and Italy. The plan is expected to expand military exchanges, training cooperation, and operational coordination.
According to official sources, the two ministers also reviewed regional and global developments and explored opportunities to enhance defence industrial cooperation under India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and Italy’s defence partnership programmes.
The proposed framework aims to encourage collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders in areas such as technology transfer, co-development, co-production, and manufacturing of advanced defence platforms and equipment.
The Defence Ministry said both nations reaffirmed that the India-Italy strategic partnership is rooted in shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect. Maritime cooperation also figured prominently in the talks, with both sides highlighting convergence on key oceanic issues and information-sharing through the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region in Gurugram.
Earlier in the day, the Italian Defence Minister paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial and inspected a tri-service Guard of Honour.
Strategic observers said the latest move reflects growing alignment between New Delhi and Rome, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, and is expected to create fresh opportunities in defence manufacturing, interoperability, and long-term security cooperation.