Rajnath Singh set to visit Italy, France to bolster defence ties

New Delhi [India]: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to visit Italy and France from October 09 to 12. During the first leg of his two-nation visit, he is scheduled to meet Italian Defence Minister Guido Crisetto in Rome, a Ministry of Defence release stated Sunday.

The relationship between India and Italy was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in March 2023 during the visit of the Italian Prime Minister to India.

During the second and final leg, Rajnath Singh will conduct the 5th Annual Defence Dialogue with his counterpart, French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastian Lecornu in Paris, the release said.

India and France recently celebrated 25 years of Strategic Partnership. Both countries enjoy a deep and wide-ranging bilateral defence relationship, including significant industrial cooperation.

In both Rome and Paris, the minister will also interact with the defence industry CEOs and senior representatives to discuss potential opportunities for industrial cooperation.