The meeting of 20^thIndia-Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) began in New Delhi today. The JCECis an institutional mechanism for bilateral trade engagement held at the level of Minister of Commerce and Industry of the two countries. The two-day session is beingco-chaired by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu, from the Indian side and by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Michele Geraci from the Italian side.

Both India and Italy are looking towards the development of bilateral economic and trade relations through facilitating dialogue and enhancing cooperation in a wide range of sectors like machinery, infrastructure and engineering, ICT including digitalization, agriculture and IPR.       

The 19^th Session of India-Italy JCEC was held in Rome on 11^th -12^th May, 2017.  A number of issues of mutual interest for industrial and economic cooperation,like machinery, energy, SMEs, pharma, leather and investmentwere deliberated upon in the Rome meeting.

Institutional mechanism for bilateral trade engagement strengthens India-Italy cooperation across machinery, infrastructure, ICT and intellectual property. The India Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation functions as an institutional mechanism for bilateral trade engagement, co chaired at ministerial level to facilitate dialogue and advance cooperation in sectors such as machinery, infrastructure and engineering, ICT including digitalization, agriculture and intellectual property rights, while reviewing prior sessions and promoting trade facilitation and investment.