Rajnath Singh To Visit Italy, France To Strengthen India’s Defence Ties With 2 European Nations

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Italy and France from 9 to 12 October 2023, the Ministry of Defence said in a press statement.

During the first leg of his two-nation visit, the Raksha Mantri is scheduled to meet Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in Rome. 

"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," the statement added. 

During the second and final leg, Singh will conduct the fifth annual defence dialogue with his counterpart, French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu in Paris. 

"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," the ministry stated.

In both Rome and Paris, he will also interact with the defence industry chief executive officers (CEOs) and senior representatives to discuss potential opportunities for industrial cooperation.