Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has returned to New Delhi after concluding a five-nation diplomatic tour from May 15 to 20, covering the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy. During the visit, several agreements were signed focusing on energy, defence, critical minerals and investment cooperation.
Italy marked the final stop of the tour, where Modi held bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The two leaders agreed to elevate India-Italy ties to a Special Strategic Partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration across multiple sectors.
Sharing details of the visit on X, Modi described the Italy leg as “very productive” and thanked the Italian government and people for their friendship and hospitality.
India’s External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the visit added fresh momentum to bilateral relations and further deepened the newly announced Special Strategic Partnership.
During his stay in Italy, Modi also met Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Discussions focused on trade, investment, cultural cooperation, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, space and nuclear energy. Modi was also presented with the FAO Agricola Medal and joined Meloni in planting a mulberry tree under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
Before arriving in Italy, Modi visited Norway to attend the third India-Nordic Summit. During the visit, he received Norway’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Norway in 43 years.
The tour began in the United Arab Emirates, where India secured agreements related to strategic petroleum reserves and long-term liquefied petroleum gas supplies. The UAE also announced investments worth USD 5 billion in India amid ongoing tensions in West Asia.
In the Netherlands, Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and signed 17 agreements covering defence, critical minerals and emerging technologies.
Meanwhile, in Sweden, Modi was awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross, in recognition of his efforts to strengthen India-Sweden relations. Both countries also agreed to upgrade their partnership to a strategic level.
The outcomes of the five-nation tour are expected to boost international cooperation and expand investment opportunities for India across several key sectors.
