Modi, Meloni call for early implementation of India-Italy mobility agreement

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni called for the early implementation of a migration and mobility agreement when both leaders met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit held in Italy. PM Modi travelled to the Apulia region in Italy to participate in the G7 Outreach Summit earlier this week on the invitation of the Italian Prime Minister. This was his first overseas visit since assuming office for the third consecutive term.

As per the mobility agreement between India and Italy, once implemented, would facilitate the mobility of professionals, skilled and semi-skilled workers, students, and researchers between the two partner countries. Discussions on this mobility agreement have been on for some time now.

In late December 2023, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi gave its ex-post facto approval to the proposal of the Ministry of External Affairs to sign and ratify the Migration and Mobility Agreement between the two countries.

According to the Indian government, the agreement would enhance people-to-people contacts, foster the mobility of students, skilled workers, businesspeople, and young professionals, and strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides. According to a release from December, after this agreement, Indian students wishing to gather initial professional experience after completing academic or vocational training in Italy may be granted temporary residence in Italy for up to 12 months.

For workers, the Italian side has reserved a quota of 5000, 6000, and 7000 non-seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024 and 2025 under the current Flows Decree (the total reserved quota stands at 12000 for non-seasonal workers). Additionally, the Italian side has also reserved a quota of 3000, 4000, and 5000 seasonal Indian workers for 2023, 2024, and 2025 under the current Flows Decree (the total reserved quota stands at 8000 for seasonal workers), the December release had said.

Cooperation between the two parties in the fight against irregular migration has also been formalised through the agreement. The mobility agreement was signed on November 2, 2023, by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on the Indian side and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, on the Italian side.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar stressed at an industry event this May the growing role of Indian skills and talent at the global level and said that the developed countries of the world are now manifesting interest in concluding mobility agreements with India.

"In the era of a knowledge economy, the role of Indian skills and talent is also being reassessed. The nature of technological advancement is itself creating greater demand. But there is also the reality of demographic shortages in developed countries. These trends are manifesting themselves right now in interest across the world to conclude mobility agreements with India," Jaishankar said while speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2024 in New Delhi.