Italian, Indian Navy Chiefs Discuss Deeper Maritime Cooperation in New Delhi
New Delhi, October 23, 2026: Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto, Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, arrived in India on an official visit focused on deepening bilateral naval cooperation and advancing maritime security ties between India and Italy.
He was received in New Delhi by Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy, and accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the South Block Lawns. The visit formed part of ongoing high-level defence engagement under the India–Italy Special Strategic Partnership.
During their talks, the two naval chiefs discussed ways to expand institutional cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Italian Navy. A major area of focus was the strengthening of bilateral naval exercises, structured Staff Talks and regular professional interactions between the two services.
The discussions also examined prospects for deeper operational cooperation through more frequent maritime interactions, improved interoperability and better coordination between the two navies. Both sides looked at how such engagement could support shared interests in maritime security and stability across key international sea routes.
Professional military exchanges were another important element of the conversation. The two sides discussed training programmes, knowledge sharing and the exchange of operational best practices as means to build mutual understanding and improve coordination at the working level.
According to the broad thrust of the engagement, such initiatives are intended to give naval personnel from both countries opportunities to learn from each other’s experience and expertise while strengthening practical cooperation at sea and ashore.
India and Italy have steadily expanded their strategic and defence relationship in recent years, with maritime cooperation emerging as an increasingly important component of the partnership. As major maritime nations with significant interests in secure sea lanes and international trade, both countries have an interest in working together on common security challenges.
The Indian Navy has continued to broaden its engagement with friendly foreign navies through bilateral exercises, operational interactions, training exchanges and multilateral maritime initiatives. In that context, Bergotto’s visit adds another layer to the growing naval contact between the two sides.
The interaction between the two chiefs is expected to provide further momentum to India–Italy maritime cooperation and reinforce the shared focus on maritime security objectives. It also reflects the broader effort to translate the two countries’ strategic partnership into practical operational cooperation and sustained naval engagement.
