In an exclusive with The Sunday Guardian, Ambassador de Luca reflects on his tenure in India, spotlighting crucial priorities, initiatives, and impactful experiences that have shaped Italy-India relations under his leadership.
As Ambassador Vincenzo de Luca is about to complete his tenure as the Ambassador of Italy to India, he reflects on a transformative period marked by unprecedented challenges and remarkable achievements in the bilateral relations between India and Italy. From navigating the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic to fostering strategic partnerships and enhancing cultural, educational, and technological collaborations, Ambassador de Luca’s tenure, which also saw the Italian G20 Presidency (starting 1st December, 2020) as well as the Indian G20 Presidency (starting 1st December, 2022), has been characterized by dedication, innovation, and a deep commitment to strengthening the ties between Italy and India.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Guardian, Ambassador de Luca shares insights into his tenure in India, highlighting key priorities, initiatives, and memorable experiences that have shaped Italy-India relations during his time in office.
Excerpts
Q. Can you share some insights into your tenure as the Ambassador of Italy to India? What were some of the key priorities and initiatives during your time in office?
A. My tenure here in India (2020-2024) has been one of the most extraordinary periods abroad: on the one hand, we went through really hard times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which taught us how to collaborate in an unprecedented emergency. On the other hand, after the pandemic, the pace of our political and economic relations increased: we adopted a Five-Year Plan of Action in 2020, and became Strategic Partners in 2023. This led the way to further strengthening our collaboration in other fields, such as defence, migration and mobility and science, with the finalization of the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Defence, the Migration and Mobility Agreement, and the Joint Declaration between ASI and ISRO.
Q. Cultural exchange is often seen as a bridge between nations. Could you highlight some of the cultural initiatives you spearheaded to strengthen ties between India and Italy?
A. Already during the “pandemic phase” of my tenure, we decided to launch a series of volumes dedicated to “Italian Scholars on India,” aiming at recalling and honouring the most significant studies produced over the years by Italian researchers on India in various fields: classical Indology, India’s economic and social environment, arts, and literature. As only few people know, Italy has one of the longest-standing traditions of studies on India, dating back to the early 17th century. Chairs of Indological subjects were established at Turin University in 1852, at Florence University in 1859, and at La Sapienza University in Rome in 1866, well before the unification of Italy. New impetus for Indian studies was registered in 1968, driven by the student movement and its renewed interest in the liberation struggles of peoples subjected to colonial domination.
As the pandemic receded, we promoted, together with the Consulates General in India the screening of Italian movies, Italian art exhibitions such as the extraordinary contemporary “Collezione Farnesina” and the design exhibit “Binary Code.” We also brought Italian musicians to India, such as Katia Ricciarelli, Paolo Fresu, and Edoardo Bennato, and fashion through a show at the residency by Rahul Mishra. Italian cuisine, which is part of our culture, became a highlight in India thanks to the events in the World week of Italian Cuisine across the country, with the participation of renowned chefs as Cristina Bowerman and Adriano Baldassarre.
What characterized our program was the endeavour to facilitate a dialogue and even merge Italian and Indian forms of art, enhancing thus creativity across borders, for example through jam sessions and master classes.
Q. Education and technology are crucial aspects of modern diplomacy. How have you worked to enhance collaboration in these areas between Italy and India?
A. At the Italian Embassy in New Delhi we have paid high attention to international students’ mobility and the recent bilateral Mobility and Migration Agreement aims exactly at attracting more Indian students and to foster exchange between Italian and Indian research clusters.
The collaboration between Italy and India in Science and Technology(S&T) has a robust foundation built on over 250 bilateral agreements signed between universities and research institutes and on the bilateral Executive Protocol, directly applying specific bilateral agreements through several years. More in detail, the protocol encompasses three main actions: Researcher Mobility Projects, Projects of Major Importance, and Excellence Centres. The Excellence Centres are the outcomes of collaborations between different research institutions or innovative enterprises from both partner countries, typically involving 3-4 institutions.
Within this collaboration, various scientific themes are addressed: Ecological transition, Health research, Cultural and natural heritage, Physics of matter, artificial Intelligence & Robotics, Biotechnology and Aerospace.
Furthermore, with over 400 Study Programs entirely taught in English, Italian Higher Education Institutions are placed as the 10th choice in the global flow of higher education students. As a G20 and G7 Country and second largest manufacturing country in Europe, Italy represents a great investment option for Indian student’s future career. And more than 600 leading Italian companies operate in India, searching for young professionals trained according to Italian methods.There are already tens of thousands Indian students who have obtained their degrees in Italian universities but from 2022, Uni-Italia, the Italian Association in charge of promoting Italian Higher Education and the mobility of foreign students towards Italy, opened another office in Delhi apart from Mumbai and is looking forward to expanding further.
Q. India’s G20 presidency was a significant moment in global diplomacy. What were the key highlights of Italy’s cooperation with India during this period?
A. Establishing a Strategic Partnership in March 2023, Italy and India sealed not only a renewed bilateral collaboration, but also the growing understanding in the multilateral sphere, which had matured through the sequence of presidencies of major formats: from Italian G20 Presidency in 2021 (officially starting 1st December, 2020) and the Indian G20 Presidency in 2023 (officially starting 1st December, 2022), to the Italian G7 Presidency in 2024.
In addition to this, the 2023 Indian G20 Presidency built on some of the innovations introduced by Italy in 2021, such as the health and finance nexus, the cultural track, and the dedicated gender equality format, all of which found their way onto the Delhi agenda. Similarly, themes already addressed by our Presidency were taken up by India and placed at the centre of its presidency, such as development and debt relief, optimization of multilateral banks, and financial inclusion.
Q. Could you share any memorable experiences or achievements during your time as the Ambassador that you feel particularly proud of?
A. Considering where we were coming from – a relationship strained by a ten-year old court case involving two Italian Navy officers, which was closed only in 2021 – I feel privileged to have seen such a tremendous improvement of our bilateral relationship. Contributing to the Plan of Action 2020 and the creation of a Strategic Partnership in 2023 has been an extraordinary experience, which I believe sets the base for further enhancing our collaboration.
Q. In what ways do you envision the future of Italy-India relations, especially in the realms of culture, education, and technology? As the Ambassador, what advice would you give to your successor?
A. As two ancient civilizations, Italy and India value and cherish their heritage but also the potential that arises from it for the future. Concerning culture, we are currently pursuing to increase our collaboration in the area of cultural heritage protection and enhancement and the exchange of researchers and students. In perspective, we aim at stimulating investments in both directions, both in research and development and in innovative fields in general. Not surprisingly, we have opened a new Consulate General in Bangalore, where much of the country’s innovation is concentrated. Also Italian companies can be part of this process, expanding supply chains and creating opportunities for innovation and technological exchange. The most relevant sectors in the near future will be, most likely, advanced manufacturing, construction (and the furniture sector), infrastructure, and energy transition.
What I wish my successor? To experience the extraordinary richness of this country and its incredible diversity in languages, religions, food, art, music and architecture. One advice, which I have already given him, is to travel the country – because India is much more than what we can find inside cosy walls in Chanakyapuri. But everywhere, as I could witness it several times during the past four years, you will feel welcome, as “Atithi Devo Bhava” – “The Guest is God.”