Global Lens | India-Italy Ties Bigger Than Modi-Meloni Rapport: Ex-Diplomat | PM Modi 5-Nation Trip

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:06]Hello and welcome. You're watching Global Lens and I'm Archana Solanki. Our top focus this evening after wrapping up his UAE visit where key energy and infrastructure deals were signed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Netherlands for talks with King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten. Both sides discussed trade, investment, the Ukraine and Iran conflicts, as well as freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The Netherlands also condemned the Pulwama terror attack and expressed support for India against cross-border terrorism. India and the Netherlands signed 17 agreements across water, renewable energy, and semiconductors, including a key ASML-Tata pact. Prime Minister Modi then met Swedish Prime Minister with the talks focusing on trade, innovation, sustainability, and R&D during the visit. Prime Minister Modi also interacted with the global CEOs from Vodafone, Nokia, Shell, Airbus, Volvo, Maersk, Nestle, Unilever, and others.

[00:01:05]Both leaders also exchanged commemorative gifts honoring Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's legacy. Next, the Prime Minister Modi arrived in Norway for the India-Nordic Summit, his first visit to the country and the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over four decades. Talks will focus on trade, green tech, defense, space, blue economy, and supply chains. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi was awarded the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in Oslo, the highest grade of the honor, and the 32nd international award conferred on him by a foreign nation. Nordic leaders from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden are attending the summit. India-Nordic trade stood at $19 billion in 2024.

[00:01:49]In the final leg of his tour, Prime Minister Modi will visit Italy for talks with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni aimed at deepening India EU trade and investment ties following the India EU FTA.

[00:02:09]Supply chains the bowel may have.

[00:02:13]Technology may competition but rather have.

[00:02:18]Or just election.

[00:02:19]Our climate action.

[00:02:22]Don't know what you know to be done right here.

[00:02:25]I see some I mean.

[00:02:28]But I thought of Europe milk up.

[00:02:31]Stability.

[00:02:33]Sustainability.

[00:02:35]Our shared prosperity game I suppose thumb. But I accept that.

[00:02:42]All right, I had to understand the significance of Prime Minister Modi's visit. I'm joined by Ambassador Mandeep Singh Puri, former Ambassador. Thank you so much Ambassador for making time and speaking with CNBC-TV18.

[00:02:53]Uh, my first question to you is uh looking at the UAE and Nordic Europe legs of Prime Minister Modi's visit, does this five nation outreach reflect India's attempt to balance energy security with its push to become a high-tech economy?

[00:03:10]Actually, thank you very much for inviting me. Let me say that this visit is extremely important and I will go a little beyond what you just said. This visit is important because it takes the Prime Minister to four important European capitals.

[00:03:26]Remember, earlier this year we signed a landmark free trade agreement with the European Union which we call the mother of all deals.

[00:03:35]And while relations with France and Germany, the two biggies in Europe, you know, there are so many ways that that happens.

[00:03:43]Reaching out to the other major European countries is particularly important for you to be able to propel that deal forward and that particular deal has game-changing possibilities for India.

[00:03:56]So, let me say a few things to you. The European Union has always been one of our largest economic partners, perhaps our largest investor in India, the second largest trading partner.

[00:04:08]We are comfortable with European investments in India.

[00:04:12]So, this outreach is very important as we push to try and get the EU FTA on board and become operational.

[00:04:20]This is one thing. From the European perspective, let me say another thing to you.

[00:04:25]You know, for long, Asia has been a China policy for Europe.

[00:04:30]Balancing is now something which is a bit important for them. I'm not talking about sort of strained transatlantic relationships, let leave them out. But otherwise, globally, as India becomes a huge, massive economy, we're already the fifth largest economy, and you know, then nothing is going to stop us from becoming the third largest economy, larger than any other economy in Europe.

[00:04:54]And so therefore, there is this particular sets of relationships which are very important.

[00:04:59]Now, you mentioned high-tech. Look, we all sort of believe and accept that all of high-tech comes from across the Atlantic. There's no doubt about that.

[00:05:10]In Europe, too, it's the US companies which are all over. But remember, the Europeans have been in various ways right there along with the Americans and the Chinese in all marks of high-tech.

[00:05:24]If I take you back to COVID, the RNA vaccines, you know, they were developed in a German company, then taken over by Pfizer in the United States.

[00:05:32]So, their abilities in semiconductors, their abilities in high-tech across are tremendous. Indian companies, starting with Tata's, with the Infosys, with Wipro, every single one of them is active. And so therefore, this is a relationship which begs which is please develop me because it'll be good for both the economies, European economies as well as the Indian economy. And I dare say good for multipolarity, multi-alignment in the world, all of those things. You talk about energy security. You know, the Prime Minister did make a stopover in UAE. That's a very important element of another relationship which India has been cultivating a relationship with the Gulf countries.

[00:06:17]In the current context with the Strait of Hormuz being in the tied-up state in which it is, obviously, it's very important that we reach out to other, find other ways of doing so. You remember when the G20 Summit was held in India, we launched this I2U2, India, Israel, United States, and the United Arab Emirates, and the idea of IMEC, this trans-multimodal transport connect between India and Europe. I'm not saying bypassing the Suez Canal, but as an alternate. All of these get their push in various ways in terms of the India-Europe connect, and that's why this visit is particularly important.

[00:06:58]Right. Thank you, Ambassador, for the overview. Let's talk about these countries independently, specifically Norway. This is Prime Minister's Prime Minister Modi's first visit to Norway and the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over four decades. What explains Norway's rising importance in India's foreign policy calculus today?

[00:07:16]Well, Norway is not a member of the EU, but Norway is a super-rich country, as you know, North Sea oil. It's also a very important country in NATO in terms of the relationships with the Baltic states, each of which are important as far as India is concerned. Now, look at Norway, that sovereign wealth fund is one of the biggest wealth funds in India, looking also for opportunities in India. And so, therefore, the visit to Norway combines the bilateral India Norway angle as well as the combination of getting all the Baltic states to come together and interact with India. It's a way of reaching out across the board, not just in the biggies of Europe, France and Germany, which always keeps happening, but across northern Europe, which is in itself such a major power hub.

[00:08:06]You noted that the Prime Minister stopped by Sweden. Now, we also should recognize that what a powerhouse economy it is, small as that country may be.

[00:08:14]Swedish companies have been in India and have had game-changing impacts in this country, whether it's Volvo or it's Saab. And in today's day and age, should we not talk about Ozempic and what it's going to do and so on. So, all of these things are important, and it is this kind of a relationship across the board with for a country and more than if I say an economy like India, it is particularly important to reach out across regions, regional blocks, as well as to the country. And so this visit, the first time after a long time, a first visit to Norway, very important.

[00:08:50]And extremely important, the entire set of these countries which were chosen for this European tour.

[00:08:57]Right. Ambassador, I was going to follow up with Sweden and Italy both, as you rightly said that Sweden is home to global leaders in telecom, clean tech, mobility, defense systems, mining tech, and life sciences. And likewise, Italy also, which has emerged as a stronger strategic partner for India in the recent years.

[00:09:14]Um For the benefit of our viewers, if you could also talk about Italy, because Prime Minister Modi is going to meet his Italian counterpart tomorrow. So, where does Italy fit in the scheme of things along with you mentioned about Sweden as well.

[00:09:27]Archana, Italy is of course a powerhouse. It's a G7 member.

[00:09:31]And we have excellent relationships, and not just the personal chemistry between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Meloni. But we have huge relationships in every area that you can think of, whether it's defense, whether it's the area of chemistry, in the area of chemicals, in the area of water management, the Italians are big players. Come on, people of my generation remember the Fiat car. You think those things have gone away? Not at all. So, across the board there's a massive set of relationship. And so, therefore, let me restress the point.

[00:10:05]In the European Union's 27 countries, of course, France and Germany have their own place. But Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden are countries which are not really second round. They are just, as you may say, 1B. And they matter in taking things forward.

[00:10:23]The signal that India has been giving since the FTA was signed is that, look, we are open for international business.

[00:10:31]We've been known as a country which is pretty protectionist, but we are now signaling we are lowering protectionist barrier. We are easing doing of business in India. We're going to make supply chains more flexible and easy so you can bring things in, take things out, etc. And all of these particular things get stressed across in the entire context.

[00:10:53]Remember, in the European Union, every country matters. These 27 of them, each of them have a role. And so, therefore, when you reach out across the board, especially to all the major countries, it makes a difference in fructifying and making that particular FTA operational sooner, hopefully by the end of this year.

[00:11:13]All right, Ambassador Vanjee Singh Puri, it was an absolute pleasure, sir, to speak with you and learn these insights on Prime Minister Modi's high-stakes visit.

[00:11:22]Thank you so much for making time and speaking with CNBC TV18, sir.

[00:11:26]And on that note, it's time for a short break. When we return, we'll tell you about President Trump's latest warning to Iran. He said the clock is ticking.

[00:11:33]Stay tuned for more.