'Natural alchemy' of Italy and India showcased in Mumbai

(ANSA) - MUMBAI, NOV 30 - Italy and India are "much more than Nations", they are cultures with a "natural alchemy", ready to cooperate in order to create a dialogue which can be increasingly prolific in the future.
    And Villaggio Italia in Mumbai, the itinerant expo that is accompanying the world tour of the Amerigo Vespucci, has been the backdrop for the debate between Italy and India, as part of the ANSA forum - the event organized by Italy's main news agency at every stopover of the world tour of the Italian Navy's training vessel.
    The debate has seen the participation of representatives of institutions, as well as of the economic and academic worlds from both countries who have focused in particular on the opportunities a country like India - which has recently overtaken China as the world's most populous country - can offer.
    "One of the objectives of the cooperation between Italy and India - said Italy's new ambassador to India, Antonio Bartoli - is to facilitate the action plan signed by the two countries which embraces different sectors, from the economy to Defence, from space to culture.
    "But the most important sector is that of people".
    The ambassador in particular focused on India's growing interest "for our universities".
    He stressed that "Italy is extremely attractive because it offers highly valuable courses, at a reasonable cost and of very high quality.
    "There is, however, also a very close cooperation in the research sector.
    "And then there is a European incentive which we must increasingly use to ensure that these collaborations become more structural", he said.
    "We must also cooperate to dismantle stereotypes, getting Italy acquainted with a country which, for example, is the third in the world in terms of start-ups worth billions and the fourth country which has gone to the moon", concluded the ambassador.
    Indeed India has confirmed its position as the world's fifth economy, behind the United States, China, Germany and Japan.
    "It is also one of the largest commercial areas globally", stressed Lorenzo Tavazzi of Teha-Ambrosetti.
    "And its growth is expected to remain constant over the years.
    "In 2028, if the data will be confirmed, GDP is expected to exceed 2,260 billion dollars, equalling the entire Italian economy as of today", he noted.
    Meanwhile, commercial exchanges with Italy have been growing over the past few years.
    "In 2023, Italy was India's 24th commercial partner", stressed Tavazzi.
    "There are significant margins for growth.
    "It is necessary to work more and better together for a future of great prosperity", he said.
    The meeting, which ended with the success stories of Indians in Italy and Italians in India, was also attended by the CEO of Indian news agency PTI, Vijay Joshi, and the director of the Asia Centre of Sda Bocconi, Alessandro Giuliani.
    "Training is key for the growth of relations between the two countries", said Giuliani.
    On one side is a nation, like India, which is steadily growing, not only from a demographic standpoint, and on the other a country, like Italy, which remains a point of reference around the world for its style and culture "We have always been influenced by Italy", said Vijay Joshi, who then presented a video dedicated to young Indians and their relationship with our country.
    From food to soccer, from monuments to museums, Italy remains "at the top of the list of countries I would like to visit so much", said one of the girls interviewed. (ANSA).