India's Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, engaged in talks with his Italian counterpart Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, in Rome during the first leg of his official visit to Italy and France

These discussions laid the groundwork for enhanced defence cooperation between the two nations, touching upon various crucial aspects of their partnership, read the Ministry of Defence press release.

The high-level meeting between Rajnath Singh and Guido Crosetto saw deliberations on a broad spectrum of defence collaboration, including training initiatives, the exchange of information, joint maritime exercises, and bolstering maritime security

However, the primary focus of the talks was to explore opportunities for advancing defence industrial cooperation. Both ministers acknowledged the complementary strengths and capabilities of India and Italy in the defence sector

They discussed the potential for joint development projects and emphasized the importance of fostering interaction between Indian start-ups and Italian defence firms, read the press release. This collaboration aims to leverage the innovative potential of Indian tech companies and the expertise of Italian defence enterprises.