India and Italy Set New Defence Course with 2026–27 Military Cooperation Plan in New Delhi

India and Italy have taken a further step in their defence partnership after Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto held bilateral talks in New Delhi and exchanged a Military Cooperation Plan for 2026–27. The meeting covered defence cooperation, regional and global security developments, and opportunities for deeper industrial collaboration, marking a structured move in the two countries’ strategic engagement.

India and Italy have agreed a 2026–27 Military Cooperation Plan in New Delhi, strengthening defence ties, industrial cooperation and strategic engagement between the two countries.

Defence talks in New Delhi

The bilateral meeting took place at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on 30 April 2026, following Crosetto’s maiden visit to India as Defence Minister. Before the talks, the visiting minister laid a wreath at the National War Memorial and later inspected the Tri-service Guard of Honour at the venue.

According to the Ministry of Defence, both sides reiterated that the India–Italy Strategic Partnership is based on shared values of peace, stability, freedom and mutual respect. The talks also reviewed a wide range of regional and global issues, including the situation in West Asia, reflecting the broader diplomatic context in which the defence relationship is being advanced.

Military cooperation plan

A Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026–27 was exchanged during the meeting, providing a framework for military engagement between the armed forces of both countries. The Ministry of Defence said the plan will chart the course for future interactions and help sustain the momentum in bilateral defence cooperation.

The plan follows earlier defence engagement between the two sides, including Rajnath Singh’s visit to Rome in October 2023, which the Ministry said had helped build further momentum in the relationship. The latest discussions indicate that both countries are now looking to translate that momentum into more structured cooperation across military and industrial channels.

India and Italy are strengthening defence-industrial cooperation with a shared focus on maritime security, indigenous manufacturing and deeper strategic engagement.

Industrial cooperation focus

Industrial collaboration featured prominently in the talks, with both ministers discussing avenues to develop mutually beneficial defence industrial cooperation under India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme and Italy’s defence cooperation initiative. The Ministry said the maiden visit by Guido Crosetto underlined the intention of both nations to expand existing cooperation and explore new areas of partnership, particularly in the industrial domain.

The official readout also noted convergence on key maritime issues, including information exchange through the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region in Gurugram. This adds a practical layer to the broader strategic dialogue, linking naval cooperation with information sharing and regional maritime awareness.

Wider strategic context

The talks came after the signing of the India–EU Defence & Strategic Partnership in January 2026, which the Ministry said has provided further impetus to defence industrial cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

That development has given added weight to India’s defence engagement with European partners, with Italy emerging as an important interlocutor in this wider framework. The New Delhi meeting therefore stands as both a continuation of existing defence ties and a forward-looking step towards a more coordinated military and industrial partnership.