Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 20 May expressed gratitude to the Indian community in Italy for the warm reception accorded to him in Rome, calling their affection for India and commitment to strengthening India-Italy ties 'truly commendable.' The acknowledgement came as Modi entered the substantive phase of his official visit — the final leg of a five-nation tour.

Arrival and First Engagements

Modi landed in Rome on Tuesday night and was received at the airport by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Shortly after arrival, he joined Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for a dinner, followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. In a post on X, Modi described the evening as an opportunity to 'exchange perspectives on a wide range of subjects.'

Meloni, in turn, posted on X: 'Welcome to Rome, my friend!' — a greeting that underscored the personal rapport the two leaders have cultivated alongside their countries' formal strategic relationship.

Bilateral Talks at Villa Doria Pamphili

The centrepiece of the visit was a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and PM Meloni at the historic Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome. Both leaders were expected to adopt a joint declaration aimed at deepening the India-Italy Strategic Partnership. Modi also held a separate meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the visit as 'scripting a new chapter' in the bilateral relationship, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posting on X that India and Italy share a 'longstanding and multifaceted partnership' and that the visit is 'set to add new momentum.'

The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029

According to the MEA, the visit comes amid growing momentum in bilateral ties, with both countries actively implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029. The roadmap covers cooperation across trade, investment, defence, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges — a broad agenda that reflects the widening scope of the relationship beyond traditional diplomatic courtesies.

Notably, this is Modi's visit to Italy as part of a broader diplomatic sweep, and the adoption of a joint declaration would mark a tangible deliverable from the trip rather than a ceremonial outcome alone.

The Indian Diaspora's Role

Modi's public acknowledgement of the Indian community in Italy is consistent with his government's broader diplomatic framing of the diaspora as an asset in bilateral relations. In his X post, he said: 'The Indian diaspora continues to make our nation proud across the world.' The community's visible turnout in Rome was cited as evidence of the depth of people-to-people ties that formal diplomatic frameworks seek to institutionalise.

With the joint declaration expected to be adopted and talks between the two prime ministers concluded, the visit is set to close with a strengthened framework for India-Italy engagement heading into the second half of 2025.