New Delhi, April 11 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Friday held "productive discussions" with visiting Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani and Italy's Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, in New Delhi, jointly reviewing bilateral cooperation and its advancement in trade, investment, IMEC, maritime, security, research, technology, education and culture domains.

"Also exchanged views on contemporary global developments including in Europe, Mediterranean and West Asia. Our partnership continues to develop and evolve guided by the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 agreed by our leadership," EAM Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.

The high-level engagement marked a significant step to advance the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029 announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in November 2024 at Rio.

The Action Plan captures both leaders' vision for deepening the bilateral strategic partnership, through concrete outcomes that will benefit both countries.

"They have directed us to work with the respective industries, and also with scientific establishments and higher education institutions to facilitate business collaborations, coproduction, innovation, and flow of knowledge and talent between our two countries," EAM Jaishankar said earlier in the day while addressing the India-Italy Business, Science and Technology Forum.

In his remarks, EAM Jaishankar highlighted that over the past few years, India has been working closely with like-minded partners to build resilient and trusted partnerships that address not only economic interests but also strategic priorities.

"For us, Italy ranks high in that list. In many sectors, there is a natural complementarity that we need to exploit. Whether it is energy or transport, food processing or light engineering, you have the technologies and best practices that make such collaboration fruitful," he said.

India, he said, for its part, plays an equally vital role in the Indo-Pacific extending its reach westwards.

"Given both the location and centrality, and the levels of activity, it makes eminent sense to connect the two, what Italy is doing in the Mediterranean and what India is doing in the Arabian Sea, for mutual benefit. The landmark initiative of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which our Italian friends call the Cotton Road, was launched during India's G20 Presidency, in which both our countries are members, will create a truly new global axis for economies, energy resources and communications," remarked EAM Jaishankar.

/IANS