India and Italy Seek to Strengthen Strategic Partnership

Jitendra Singh's Italy visit advances bilateral cooperation in AI, clean energy, biotechnology, space research and innovation, with both countries planning a joint research proposal call in 2027.

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, began a five-day official visit to Italy from November 11 to 15, 2026, to advance the India-Italy Special Strategic Partnership announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Italy in May 2026. The visit focuses on strengthening bilateral cooperation in science, technology, research and innovation through ministerial discussions, institutional engagements and collaborative research initiatives.

Leading the Indian delegation, Singh held engagements with representatives of Italy's scientific community and officials from the Indian Embassy in Rome. The discussions reaffirmed the longstanding relationship between the two countries and highlighted opportunities to expand scientific and technological cooperation.

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A major component of the visit is the Second India-Italy Science and Innovation Dialogue 2026, held in Rome on November 12. Singh met Italian Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini to discuss research partnerships, scientific excellence, strategic technologies and innovation. The dialogue brought together researchers, academic institutions, technology incubators and innovation stakeholders from both countries to identify opportunities for joint projects and institutional collaboration.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on scientific research cooperation signed in New Delhi in April 2025. They also welcomed progress towards launching a joint call for research proposals in 2027, which will encourage researchers and institutions from India and Italy to undertake collaborative projects.

The proposed research cooperation will prioritise three broad areas: artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and big data; clean technologies, hydrogen, renewable energy and energy transition; and advanced biotechnology and biomedical research. The biomedical focus includes gene therapy, messenger RNA technologies and bio manufacturing. The initiative aims to combine complementary research capabilities and strengthen long-term partnerships between institutions in both countries.

The Indian delegation's programme also includes meetings with Italy's Minister responsible for Space and Aerospace Policy, Adolfo Urso, to explore opportunities for cooperation in strategic and emerging technologies. On November 13, the delegation is scheduled to visit major research facilities in Trieste, including the Elettra Synchrotron Facility, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. These engagements are intended to identify opportunities for joint research, scientific infrastructure partnerships and researcher mobility.

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The delegation includes senior representatives from Indian research institutions, including ARCI Hyderabad, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, the National Physical Laboratory and the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology. Technology incubators and innovation organisations such as Qmet Tech Foundation, IIT Kanpur's Incubator and Technopark, and IKP Knowledge Park are also represented.