India-Italy 2nd Tourism JWG: cine-tourism, twinning, and 2027 culture year
Synopsis
India and Italy have taken their tourism partnership a step further — agreeing to set up focused technical groups, advance cine-tourism and destination twinning, and build toward a joint 2027 Year of Culture and Tourism. The meeting, co-chaired by Tourism Secretaries Bhuvnesh Kumar and Emanuela Tripi, signals institutional intent to convert high-level Modi-Meloni commitments into ground-level B2B action.
Key Takeaways
The 2nd India–Italy Joint Working Group on Tourism met in New Delhi on 29 September 2026 .
Co-chaired by Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar (India) and Emanuela Tripi (Italy).
Both sides agreed to establish focused technical groups and designate points of contact to operationalise cooperation areas.
Key areas: exchange of tourism data, cine-tourism, destination twinning , skilling, and B2B engagement.
Both countries are working toward the India–Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2027 .
PM Modi and PM Meloni had earlier set a bilateral trade target of 20 billion euros by 2029 under the India-EU FTA framework.
India and Italy on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, held high-level bilateral talks in New Delhi under the framework of the 2nd India–Italy Joint Working Group (JWG) on Tourism, covering a wide spectrum of cooperation areas — from exchange of tourism data and promotion of lesser-known destinations to cine-tourism, destination twinning, skilling, capacity building, and enhanced Business-to-Business (B2B) engagement, according to an official statement.
The meeting was co-chaired by Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar on the Indian side and his Italian counterpart Emanuela Tripi, marking a structured deepening of bilateral tourism ties ahead of a landmark cultural milestone planned for 2027.
Key Outcomes of the Meeting
As the primary outcome, both delegations agreed to establish focused technical groups and designate dedicated points of contact to advance the identified cooperation areas and sustain engagement among relevant stakeholders. This institutional mechanism is designed to ensure that discussions translate into on-ground action rather than remaining declaratory.
The Indian delegation brought together representatives from the Ministries of Tourism, Culture, and External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Rome, and the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). The Italian side included senior officials from the Ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, and the ENIT (Italian National Tourism Board).
India–Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2027
A significant focus of the discussions was the proposed India–Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2027, which both sides are working to leverage for deeper cultural and tourism exchanges. The initiative, agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reflects a broader ambition to institutionalise people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Both leaders had also agreed to facilitate the mobility of students, researchers, and academics, and acknowledged the valuable contribution of the Indian diaspora in Italy to bilateral relations.
Broader Bilateral Momentum
The tourism working group meeting sits within a larger context of accelerating India-Italy engagement. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Meloni agreed to leverage the India-EU Free Trade Agreement to expand bilateral trade to 20 billion euros by 2029. The two leaders also expressed satisfaction with growing collaboration between researchers and scientific institutions.
Notably, both sides welcomed ongoing cooperation between the Italian Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and called for greater collaboration in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, and other cutting-edge technologies — synergising India's talent pool with Italy's technological expertise.
What Happens Next
The designated technical groups and points of contact are expected to begin work promptly to operationalise the identified cooperation areas. With the 2027 Year of Culture and Tourism serving as a target milestone, both governments are under institutional pressure to demonstrate tangible outcomes well before the year begins. Industry bodies such as IATO and ENIT are expected to play central roles in driving B2B linkages and joint promotional campaigns.
Point of View
But the real test is execution. India-Italy tourism volumes remain modest relative to the scale of engagement both governments project — and past bilateral working groups in tourism have a mixed record of converting declarations into visitor numbers or industry deals. The 2027 Year of Culture and Tourism provides a clear deadline, which is good, but the designated technical groups will need to move faster than typical bureaucratic timelines allow. More significantly, the linkage to the India-EU FTA and the ISRO-Italian Space Agency axis suggests tourism is now being bundled into a broader strategic relationship — which could be a durable accelerant if the FTA itself makes substantive progress.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was agreed at the 2nd India-Italy Joint Working Group on Tourism?
Both sides agreed to establish focused technical groups and designate points of contact to advance cooperation in tourism data exchange, cine-tourism, destination twinning, skilling, and B2B engagement. The meeting was held in New Delhi on 29 September 2026, co-chaired by Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar and Italian counterpart Emanuela Tripi.
What is the India–Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2027?
It is a jointly agreed initiative between India and Italy to celebrate and deepen cultural and tourism exchanges in 2027. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni agreed to designate 2027 as the Year of Culture and Tourism between the two countries.
Who participated in the 2nd India-Italy JWG on Tourism?
The Indian delegation included representatives from the Ministries of Tourism, Culture, and External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Rome, and the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO). Italy was represented by officials from its Ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi, and the ENIT (Italian National Tourism Board).
How does the tourism meeting fit into the broader India-Italy relationship?
It is part of a broader bilateral push: Modi and Meloni earlier agreed to expand bilateral trade to 20 billion euros by 2029 using the India-EU FTA. They also agreed on space collaboration between ISRO and the Italian Space Agency, and called for joint work on AI, semiconductors, and critical minerals.
What are the next steps after this tourism working group meeting?
Both sides will establish technical groups and designate contact points to operationalise the agreed cooperation areas. With the 2027 Year of Culture and Tourism as a key milestone, industry bodies IATO and ENIT are expected to lead B2B linkages and joint promotional efforts.
