India and Italy strengthen defence ties; Rajnath Singh meets Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto, exchange Military Cooperation Plan

Key facts

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto in New Delhi and exchanged a Bilateral Military Cooperation Plan (MCP) for 2026-27.
• The meeting was held at the Manekshaw Centre and focused on enhancing military engagements and expanding defence industrial cooperation between India and Italy.
• Both ministers reaffirmed that the India-Italy Strategic Partnership is rooted in shared values of peace, stability, freedom, and mutual respect.
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that the newly exchanged MCP outlines a roadmap for structured military interactions between the armed forces of both nations over the next year.
• Earlier in the day, Guido Crosetto paid tribute to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial and was accorded a ceremonial tri-service Guard of Honour at the Manekshaw Centre.