FE
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set for an important diplomatic mission scheduled for the upcoming week, which will see him traveling to Italy and France. The primary objective of the visits to these countries is to strengthen India’s strategic partnerships with these nations. This diplomatic visit holds great promise, with several key agreements expected to be formalized during his visit.
Of particular importance is the visit to Italy, where both India and Italy have recently elevated their bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership. The significance of this elevation was underscored by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s dual visits to Delhi earlier this year, which served to further solidify the strengthening of relations between the two countries.
In March, Meloni embarked on a bilateral visit to India, followed by her participation in the G20 summit in September. The March visit saw both nations reaching a consensus to enhance their collaboration in the field of defense. It is worth noting that in 2021, India lifted a ban that had been imposed on the Italian defense company Leonardo SpA (formerly known as Finmeccanica) and its subsidiary AgustaWestland. These companies had faced allegations related to bribery in securing a US$48 million contract for the supply of 12 helicopters to India.
