Botticelli Comes to India as Modi-Meloni Bond Deepens Beyond Defence and Diplomacy

Defence is a major area of convergence with the two countries looking to jointly design new weapon systems and manufacture in India, keeping in mind the possibility of export as well. Guido Crosetto, the Italian defence minister, was in India recently. Earlier, India lifted a ban on Leonardo, the Italian defence manufacturing giant, one of the largest in the world. Earlier, Indian government officials have met senior executives of Fincantieri, the shipbuilding giant. India and Italy are working closely in areas like industrial design, space, and science and technology. India’s huge pool of engineers and scientists is a draw as also, potentially, its enormous market.