Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal began his official visit to Italy on Wednesday, marking a key step in strengthening India’s economic and strategic ties with one of its important European partners. The two-day visit, scheduled for June 4–5, follows Minister Goyal’s engagements in France aimed at enhancing India–France trade and investment relations.
During his stay, Goyal will co-chair the 22nd Session of the India–Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) alongside Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy. The JCEC serves as a critical bilateral platform for shaping economic collaboration between the two nations.
This year’s session is set against the backdrop of the India–Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) 2025–2029, which was launched following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. The JSAP outlines ten key thematic pillars for cooperation, with economic engagement and innovation as central priorities.
The Rome meeting will focus on assessing progress and expanding bilateral cooperation in pivotal sectors such as Industry 4.0, agritech, digital transformation, clean energy, sustainable mobility, and infrastructure development under the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). These discussions are expected to open new doors for strategic industrial partnerships and strengthen economic connectivity between the two nations.
Goyal will lead a high-level Indian business delegation to the India–Italy Growth Forum in Brescia, a leading industrial and innovation hub in northern Italy. The forum is designed to foster dialogue between key businesses, promote investment flows, and boost B2B collaborations in areas such as sustainable manufacturing, circular economy, and advanced engineering.