Central to this collaboration is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), referred to as the "Cotton Route," which aims to connect Italian ports with Indian ports in the Western Indian Ocean. Italy envisions itself as India's gateway to Europe via this corridor.

Urso announced plans to establish a space cooperation office at the Italian consulate in Bangalore, highlighting Italy's interest in partnering with India on advanced nuclear power systems and critical minerals. Meetings with Indian Union ministers for commerce, coal, and space further emphasised Italy's commitment to expanding bilateral ties in strategic sectors.

Over the weekend, a conference on the "Blue and Space Economy" was held at Villaggio Italia in Mumbai, coinciding with the Vespucci World Tour. Italian Ambassador Antonio Bartoli, India's Minister of Ports Sarbananda Sonowal, and Urso inaugurated the event. Urso noted Italy’s legacy in space exploration, referencing its 1964 achievement with the San Marco-1 satellite, which made it the third nation to enter space after the Soviet Union and the US.

Francesco Talo, a senior diplomat and former adviser to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, underscored the natural synergy between India and Italy as peninsular nations, advocating for enhanced trade routes and freedom of navigation. Plans include linking Indian ports with Trieste and Venice, with potential expansion to Slovenia and Croatia. The recent visits mark the fifth meeting between the Indian and Italian Prime Ministers in the past two years, signalling a robust and growing partnership between the two nations.

(ET)