The Embassy of India in Rome maintains diplomatic relations and represents Indian interests in dealing with the Government of Italy. The embassy's chancery is situated at Via XX Settembre next to the Palazzo del Quirinale. The Indian Ambassador to Italy, Arif Shahid Khan, died on 17 March, 2010. [1] The Deputy Chief of Mission is Shamma Jain. [2] The Republic of India also maintains a consulate general in Milan and hononary consulates in Naples, Genoa, and Livorno. [3]
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Diplomatic relations between India and Italy were established in 1947. India and Italy, both are countries with ancient civilizations and grand cultural heritages. Thus, nation building in a democratic framework while protecting civil liberties and encouraging a free press can be seen to be common features of both countries. This basic affinity has given both countries an understanding of each other's socio political ethos and the framework of developing unity in diversity.
Bilateral political relations between India and Italy are warm and friendly. There is a growing realization in Italy of the importance of India especially as an economic partner. Former President of Italy Mr. Cario Azeglio Ciampi paid a state visit to India in February 2005, accompanied by a high level ministerial and economic delegation.
Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi visited India from February 10-15, 2007. He was accompanied by Ministers for International Trade and European Affairs; for Infrastructure; for Scientific Research; and for Family; a well as a delegation of about 450 businessmen. During the visit, he met the President, Vice President and held talks with the Prime Minister and EAM. The business delegation had over 4200 business meetings. The focus areas included food processing, financial services, industrial design, leather and tanning and renewable energy. 11 Agreements/MoUs were signed in Mumbai, including between Fiat and Tata, ONGC and ENI, and BHEL and SELEX. Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Anand Sharma visited Rome from November 14-16, 2006. During the visit, he held wide ranging discussions with Italian political leaders including former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Culture, Mr. Francesco Rutelli, former Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Sen. Gianni Vernetti, and former Defence Minister, Mr. Arturo Parisi. The Indian Minister of State for External Affairs also had discussions with Senator Lamberto Dini, President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Italian Senate.
The first ever Head of State level visit from Italy to India took place from February 9-12, 1995 when Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro visited India. In the same year on May 23-27, Vice President, Shri K.R. Narayanan, visited Italy at the invitation of the President of the Italian Senate. President Dr. S.D. Sharma visited Italy in October 1996. Later in November 1996, Prime Minister H.D. Deva Gowda visited Italy for the World Food Summit organized by FAO. He also met Prime Minister Prodi and other senior Italian leaders. In September 1997 Prime Minister I.K. Gujral visited Rome and met Prime Minister Prodi, President Scalfaro and Pope John Paul II. Prime Minister Prodi paid an official visit to India in January 1998 and met President Narayanan, Vice President Krishan Kant and Prime Minister Gujral. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee paid an official visit to Italy on June 25-27, 2000 during which he met the President and Prime Minister of Italy and also called on the Pope. [4]
Italy is India's fourth-largest trading partner in the European.
Principal items of India's exports to Italy are textiles and ready-made garments, leather and leather goods, granite and similar stones, basic chemicals, gems and jewelery, marine products, engineering goods, iron and steel, bars and sheets, motor vehicles, and auto parts.
Italy accounts for about 1.95% of the total investment approvals from August 1991 to January 2006, with FDI approvals of US$ 1.31 billion and a cumulative inflow of US$0.49 billion, which is 1.57 percent of total inflows. Top sectors attracting FDI from Italy including transportation (56.19 percent), food processing (8.97 percent), metallurgical (8.20 percent), textiles (including dyed and printed) (4.57 percent) and electrical equipment (including consumer electronics and computer software (4.45 percent).
Future prospects for investment and trade are encouraging, as India is increasingly being seen by Italy as an emerging economic power in the world and an important economic partner in Asia.
The number of Indian nationals (including persons of Indian origin) in Italy varies between 100,000 to 150,000.
Most Indians work on farms and in small businesses and industry, as well as in the Catholic Church. There are Indian professionals in northern Italy and in the UN specialized agencies based in Rome, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and World Food Programme. Much of the Indian population is concentrated in the Lazio, Lombardy, Emilia–Romagna, Veneto and Tuscany regions.