Rome [Italy], May 20 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a delegation-level meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as part of the last leg of his five-nation tour, aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties between India and Italy.

The Prime Minister arrived in Rome on Tuesday following his engagements in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.

Prior to their meeting, Italian Prime Minister Meloni, in a post on X, said that ties between India and Italy have entered a 'decisive phase', adding that bilateral relations have witnessed unprecedented momentum in recent years.

'The relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive phase. In recent years, our ties have expanded with unprecedented momentum, evolving from a cordial friendship to a special strategic partnership founded on the values of freedom and democracy, as well as a shared vision of the future,' the post read.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani, were also present in the meeting.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi also called on Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and the two leaders discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investment and cultural linkages.

PM Modi said they discussed how the two countries can collaborate in areas such as AI, critical minerals and space.

'Met President Sergio Mattarella in Rome. We discussed different aspects relating to the India-Italy friendship, including trade, investment and cultural linkages. We talked about how our nations can collaborate in areas such as AI, critical minerals, space and nuclear energy,' PM Modi stated in a post on X.

Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, also posted details of the meeting on X, stating that the two leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.

'PM Narendra Modi called on the President Sergio Mattarella of the Italian Republic. The two leaders reaffirmed the strong and enduring India-Italy partnership and held discussions in areas including trade, technology, innovation, clean energy, AI and culture. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments of mutual interest,' the MEA post read.

PM Modi's Italy visit comes amid strong momentum in India-Italy relations, with both sides actively advancing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, a broad framework for cooperation across multiple areas.

These include trade--which reached USD 16.77 billion in 2025--investment, with cumulative FDI of USD 3.66 billion (April 2000-September 2025), as well as defence and security, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges. (ANI)