Held in Mumbai and New Delhi on 21–22 October 2026, the visit to India by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto, provided further impetus to the close bilateral cooperation in the fields of defence and maritime security.
In Mumbai, Admiral Berutti Bergotto took part in a series of initiatives held on board the Italian Navy patrol vessel Giovanni delle Bande Nere, whose stop marked the sixth port call by an Italian naval vessel in India over the past three years.
In New Delhi, the Chief of Staff held a fruitful bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart, Admiral K. Swaminathan. The two Chiefs of Navy Staff expressed their satisfaction with the close relationship of trust and cooperation between their respective Navies, recalling the convening, during the same days, of the first ever meeting of the Italy-India Maritime Security Dialogue, hosted in Rome at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Looking ahead, the two Admirals focused their discussions on the following priorities: further strengthening institutional dialogue and cooperation between their respective Navies, including through naval exercises and Staff Talks; enhancing operational coordination and the interoperability of naval assets; intensifying professional exchanges, training activities and the sharing of best practices; and developing industrial synergies and co-development projects.
Admiral Berutti Bergotto’s visit to India follows, by just a few weeks, the visit paid at the end of June by General Antonio Conserva, Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force.
The intensification of visits and meetings between the senior leadership and armed forces of the two countries confirms the central importance of the defence pillar within the framework of the Italy-India Special Strategic Partnership and the 2025–2029 Joint Action Plan.
