New Delhi, October 23, 2026: Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto, Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, arrived in India on an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral naval cooperation and advancing maritime security partnerships between India and Italy.
During his visit, the Italian Navy Chief was received 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 in New Delhi.
The high-level engagement marked another step in strengthening defence and maritime cooperation between the two countries under the India–Italy Special Strategic Partnership.
During their discussions, the two naval chiefs focused on expanding institutional cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Italian Navy, with particular emphasis on bilateral naval exercises, structured Staff Talks and regular professional engagements.
Both sides explored opportunities to deepen operational cooperation through increased maritime interactions, improved interoperability and enhanced coordination between their respective naval forces.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of expanding multilateral cooperation to address shared maritime security priorities, reflecting the growing significance of collaborative approaches to maintaining stability and security across important international sea routes.
Another key area of engagement was strengthening professional military exchanges through training programmes, knowledge sharing and the exchange of operational best practices.
Such initiatives are intended to enhance mutual understanding, improve operational coordination and provide opportunities for naval personnel from both countries to learn from each other’s experiences and expertise.
India and Italy have progressively expanded their strategic and defence engagement, with maritime cooperation emerging as an important component of their bilateral relationship.
As major maritime nations with significant interests in secure sea lanes and international trade, both countries recognise the importance of naval cooperation in addressing evolving security challenges and promoting a stable maritime environment.
The Indian Navy continues to strengthen its partnerships with friendly foreign navies through bilateral exercises, operational interactions, training exchanges and multilateral maritime initiatives.
Admiral Bergotto’s visit underscores the shared commitment of India and Italy to translating their strategic partnership into stronger operational cooperation, enhanced interoperability and sustained naval engagement.
The interaction between the two naval chiefs is expected to provide further momentum to India–Italy maritime cooperation and reinforce their commitment to shared maritime security objectives.
