Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar holds key meetings with senior Italian defence officials in Rome

By R Anil Kumar

• India & Italy reaffirm shared commitment to facilitate industry partnerships to build resilient defence supply chains

• Sanjeev Kumar highlights policy frameworks for defence procurements, FDI norms & India’s defence corridors at India-Italy Defence Industry Seminar

Rome/Bengaluru, February 27, 2026. Secretary (Defence Production) Mr. Sanjeev Kumar called on Italy’s Under Secretary of State for Defence Mr Matteo Perego di Cremnago and held meetings with National Armaments Director Admiral Giacinto Ottaviani and Chief of Italian Defence Forces General Luciano Portolano during his visit to Rome on February 26 & 27, 2026.

During the meeting with Italy’s Under Secretary of State for Defence, both nations reaffirmed shared commitment to facilitate industry partnerships to build respective resilient defence supply chains.

During the meetings with the National Armaments Director and the Chief of Italian Defence Forces, the two sides identified defence cooperation as a key pillar of the bilateral strategic partnership and concurred on the importance of augmenting industrial cooperation by building synergies and linkages between the defence industrial ecosystems.

The Secretary (Defence Production) and the National Armaments Director also delivered keynote addresses at the India-Italy Defence Industry Seminar, which provided a forward-looking agenda for partnership. Mr. Sanjeev Kumar highlighted the policy frameworks for defence procurements, FDI norms and the defence industrial corridors in India.

Both sides noted that the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership signed in January 2026 provides new avenues for participation of Indian defence companies in the defence supply chains of the EU.

Indian and Italian defence industries had focused B2B meetings to explore joint ventures, technology partnerships and co-manufacturing initiatives. The industry seminar also strengthened institutional cooperation between SIDM and AIAD, building on their MoU signed in April 2025 in Rome.

A networking reception, hosted by the Embassy provided an opportunity for continuing the dialogue among government officials, industry leaders and stakeholders. The Secretary (Defence Production) was accompanied by an industry delegation under the aegis of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, which included key stakeholders from the Indian Defence Public Sector Undertakings, private sector, SMEs, and start-ups.

The delegation also visited leading Italian defence companies as part of the visit. The discussions focused on opportunities for joint ventures, co-development and co-production leveraging the synergies between the respective defence ecosystems.

The visit reflects the deepening of India and Italy defence cooperation and India’s commitment to build trusted partnerships in defence manufacturing, in line with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

(With Inputs from Ministry of Defence)