New Delhi [India], April 30 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday will hold bilateral talks with the Minister of Defence of Italy Guido Crosetto, in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the Ministers will discuss a range of issues covering defence cooperation between the two countries. They are also expected to share their views on regional and global issues in view of the evolving security landscape, a statement frm the Ministry of Defence read.

Further, as per MoD, defence cooperation between India and Italy gained further momentum after Raksha Mantri visited Rome in October 2023.

Defence Minister Crosetto's maiden visit to India underlines the desire of both nations to further expand existing cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration particularly under the industrial partnership domain.

The signing of India-EU Defence & Strategic Partnership in January 2026 signals increasing strategic convergence and has provided further impetus to defence industrial cooperation in areas of mutual interest, the MoD statement added.

The defence relationship between India and Italy has expanded to dialogue, service-to-service interactions, training, export of defence equipment, sharing information, port calls, naval exercises, maritime security, etc.

An agreement on Defense Cooperation was signed after the Defence Minister traveled to Italy in 2023 to have bilateral talks with his counterpart Crosetto.

Earlier this year, India and the European Union signed a landmark Security and Defence Partnership, marking the first overarching defence and security framework between the two sides, as leaders from both blocs agreed to significantly deepen cooperation across strategic, regional and global security domains.

In a joint statement issued following the 16th India-EU Summit held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the leaders welcomed the signing of the Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), noting that the agreement would strengthen collaboration in maritime security, the defence industry and technology, cyber and hybrid threats, space and counterterrorism, and other areas.

Under the partnership, India and the EU agreed to upgrade existing Security and Defence Consultations into an annual EU-India Security and Defence Dialogue, institutionalising regular high-level engagement, the statement stated.

The two sides will also consult on respective defence initiatives and explore opportunities for India's participation in relevant EU defence programmes, in line with their respective legal frameworks.

To strengthen defence industrial collaboration, the joint statement announced the establishment of an industry-led India-EU Defence Industry Forum, bringing together businesses from both sides, with official observers and the participation of EU Member States.

The forum will focus on identifying opportunities for cooperation in defence manufacturing, innovation, and technology.

The leaders also committed to deepening engagement on regional security, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. (ANI)