Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his five-nation tour on Tuesday with a visit to Rome, Italy, where he was warmly welcomed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to reports from NDTV Profit, Modi arrived in Rome from Norway and was received at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani. Meloni posted a photo with Modi on social media, writing "Welcome to Rome, my friend!" and sharing an earlier image of the two leaders together at the Colosseum. As per Moneycontrol, Modi will meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella, hold bilateral talks with PM Georgia Meloni, and participate in other diplomatic engagements before departing for India on Wednesday. Modi took to X to share an update on his arrival in Rome, stating that he will be meeting Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and holding discussions with them. "This visit will focus on how to boost India-Italy cooperation, especially focusing on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 will also be reviewed. I will also be visiting the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and strengthening India's commitment to multilateralism as well as global food security," he added.
The visit comes amid strong momentum in India-Italy relations, with both sides actively advancing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, a broad framework for cooperation across multiple areas. According to Moneycontrol, trade between the two countries reached USD 16.77 billion in 2025, while cumulative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stands at USD 3.66 billion from April 2000 to September 2025. The partnership encompasses cooperation in defence and security, clean energy, innovation, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges. Modi posted on social media that this visit will focus on boosting India-Italy cooperation, especially focusing on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). During his Norway visit, Modi discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties with the country in areas like clean energy, trade, sustainability and digitisation. Modi held meetings with his counterparts from Sweden, Iceland, Finland and Denmark, and the leaders then addressed a joint press conference after the India-Nordic summit.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister participated in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit in Oslo alongside leaders from Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. According to Moneycontrol, the summit focused on enhancing cooperation in areas such as green technology, climate action, trade, innovation, artificial intelligence, Arctic research and defence collaboration. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the visit marked a significant step forward in India's partnership with the Nordic region, with PM Modi departing from Oslo after a successful visit that opened a new chapter in India-Nordic and India-Norway partnerships. India and the Nordic countries also elevated their ties to a 'Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership'. Modi said he was "delighted" to have participated in the summit, stating "Democracy, rule of law and our shared commitment to multilateralism make us natural partners." He further said the investment from Nordic countries into India increased by 200 per cent over the last decade, with rapidly increasing trade and investment contributing to India's growth story and creating thousands of new jobs in Nordic countries.
During his arrival in Rome, Modi received a warm reception from the Indian diaspora and interacted with community members at his hotel. As reported by NDTV Profit, he watched cultural performances and even signed an autograph for a child who presented him with a portrait. The Prime Minister also viewed a painting depicting the ghats of Varanasi, created by an Italian artist inspired by Indian culture. Modi posted on social media that this visit will focus on boosting India-Italy cooperation, especially focusing on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). India's Ambassador to Italy Vani Rao highlighted key areas of cooperation, stating "First is to further increase the trade and investment between the two countries. Second, we are also inviting Italian companies to look at India for long-term presence and long-term business collaborations. Defence will be an important area where we are going to see how we can boost industrial partnerships. The third will be mobility, and we will look at how to increase the flow of talent and knowledge between the two countries."
Modi was in Norway in the fourth leg of his five-nation visit before reaching Rome, prior to which he was in UAE, the Netherlands and Sweden. As reported by Moneycontrol, the Prime Minister had previously visited Italy in June 2024 to attend the G7 Summit. Before arriving in Rome, Modi was in Oslo, Norway, where he participated in the 3rd India-Nordic Summit and held engagements aimed at strengthening India's ties with Nordic nations and Norway. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that these engagements aimed at deepening cooperation based on shared democratic values and sustainable development goals. Modi concluded his Norway visit and is on his way to Italy in what will be the last leg of his five-nation tour, with PM Modi landing in Rome, Italy, on Tuesday night and returning home to India on Wednesday, May 20.
