India & Italy Explore New Defence Cooperation at 13th MCG Meeting

The 13^th edition of the India-Italy Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting was successfully conducted in Rome, Italy. The meeting was co-chaired by the Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff IDC (A) from Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), representing India, and the Deputy Head of the Strategic Direction and Military Cooperation Division of the Italian Defence General Staff, representing Italy.

The discussions were focusing on identifying new avenues to expand the scope of bilateral military focused cooperation. Key agenda points included enhanced exchange programs, capability development efforts and strengthening collaboration between the Indian and Italian armed forces. The meeting also reviewed ongoing defence engagements assessing their progress and exploring ways to optimize future interactions.

The MCG serves as a key institutional mechanism to enhance defence cooperation between the armed forces of both nations, fostering stronger military-to-military engagements and strategic collaboration.