New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on Thursday.
Both sides reaffirmed that the India–Italy Strategic Partnership is anchored in shared principles of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect.
In a statement shared on the social media platform X, Singh noted that discussions covered a broad range of regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia.
The two ministers also explored ways to deepen defence industrial cooperation under India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat framework and Italy’s defence collaboration initiatives, according to an official statement.
During the meeting, a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan for 2026-27 was exchanged, outlining the roadmap for future military engagement between the armed forces of both countries.
The dialogue also highlighted convergence between the two maritime nations on key ocean-related security issues, including information sharing through the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region based in Gurugram.
Before the talks, Crosetto paid tribute at the National War Memorial, laying a wreath in honour of fallen soldiers. He was also accorded a Tri-Service Guard of Honour at the Manekshaw Centre.
Meanwhile, addressing a National Security Summit in New Delhi on the same day, Singh stated that Operation Sindoor, along with previous military responses such as surgical and air strikes, reflected India’s firm stance against terrorism. He said the government had moved beyond diplomatic restraint and demonstrated a clear commitment to decisive action when faced with terror threats.
He observed that terrorism stems from a distorted ideology and poses a serious threat not only to national security but also to global peace and development. According to him, the fight against terrorism is fundamentally a defence of human values and must be addressed across operational, ideological, and political dimensions.
Commenting on Pakistan’s role in supporting terrorism, Singh remarked that while both India and Pakistan gained independence at the same time, India is now globally recognised for information technology, whereas Pakistan is often associated with international terrorism.
