by Enrico Tibuzzi
Relations between Italy and India
have reached a whole new level and must now vie for a
"technological and industrial partnership" which, by also
relaunching investments, could attract Indian companies back to
invest in the Italian steel industry, from Piombino to Taranto.
The fourth day of the Italian Amerigo Vespucci vessel in Mumbai
and the second since the official opening of Villaggio Italia
which accompanies it was marked by the arrival of Business and
Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso.
Right after reaching the economic and financial capital of the
Indian subcontinent, Urso worked on contacts that could give an
important contribution and relaunch steel production in Italy.
The visit was the first by an Italian minister to India since
the signature in November, one the sidelines of the G20 summit
in Rio, of a strategic five-year plan redesigning relations
between the two countries and finally leaving behind tensions
that accompanied the case of the Italian marines.
India is set to become in 2027 the world's third economy,
remaining by a large margin the most populous country.
And this while Indian investment flows in Italy have grown by
35.7% and Italian investment flows in India have gone up 6.7%,
reaching 6.4 billion euros.
This occurred while exchanges grew by 64.5%.
By 2025, the digital highway that will connect Genoa to Mumbai
should be completed and today it has reached the Indian city
with the completion of the installation of an underwater cable
made by Sparkle.
"We have completed the Oman-India connection - said the CEO of
Sparkle, Enrico Bagnasco, who is also in Mumbai - and over the
next few months, going through Tel Aviv, the connection that has
reached today Crete will arrive by land to Saudi Arabia and the
Red Sea".
However, it will then be necessary to pass in front of Yemen,
and the security issue is more serious there.
"Our partnership must take on a technological and industrial
nature", stressed Urso.
"Italy, also thanks to the actions implemented to facilitate
foreign investments, can become the platform from which Indian
companies can depart to access the European market", he noted.
Vice versa, India can be the base for Italian companies that
want to operate in the country and in the whole area of
South-East Asia, said the minister.
The sectors with major perspectives of development in
Italian-Indian economic relations are many.
Addressing a conference on the blue and space economy, the
minister highlighted how Italy and India in this context have
technological knowledge and needs that make them natural
partners.
This is true starting with the monitoring of climate change and
the exploration of space, as well as the exploitation of the
seabed and the conservation of marine species, to mention a few.
However, it is in the steel sector that Urso could achieve new
goals during his Indian mission.
Before reaching Villaggio Italia, he met with the management of
Jindal, the Indian company that should forge an agreement on a
program over the next few months to work in parallel with the
Ukrainian Metinvest to give new impetus to the plant in Piombino
through a green transition.
And in the coming days, the minister should also meet with
representatives of Vulcan Steel, the company that has expressed
interest in taking over the former Ilva steelworks in Taranto.
Meanwhile the very intense flow of Indian visitors is
continuing, with endless queues, to visit the best of Made in
Italy showcased at Villaggio Italia and to see the splendid
sailing vessel docked a few dozen metres away.
Such crowds, stressed Defence Undersecretary Matteo Perego di
Cremnago, give "great satisfaction" and confirm the importance
of the world tour promoted by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto.
The event in Mumbai was also attended by the Minister for Ports,
Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal who held bilateral
talks with Urso and and stopped to look at the Italian
excellencies exhibited at the Villagio Italia, devoting
particular attention to the videos and photos on the Mose.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
