Context: Union Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to the Ministry of External Affairs proposal to sign and ratify the Migration and Mobility Agreement between India and Italy.

About Migration and Mobility Agreement Between India and Italy

• India-Italy Migration and Mobility Agreement was signed by India’s  External Affairs Minister and Italy’s  Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in November 2023.
• The Agreement  will remain into force for a period of 5 years unless terminated by any Participant, the Agreement will be automatically renewed for a similar successive period.
• Objective: It is to promote people-to-people connections, foster mobility amongst  students, skilled workers, business people and young professionals and to strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides.

Key Provisions of the India-Italy Migration and Mobility Agreement

• Visa quota to India: To lock-in the current Italian visa regime which includes mechanisms for post study opportunities, internships, professional trainings under the existing labour mobility pathways as per the Flows Decree.
  • Flows Decree: It offers incremental re­served quotas for both seasonal and non-seasonal workers.
  • Non seasonal Indian workers: the Italian side has reserved a quota of 5000, 6000 and 7000 in  2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively under the current  Flows Decree (earlier Total reserved quota was 12000).
  • Seasonal  Indian workers: A quota of 3000, 4000 and 5000 for 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively has been reserved  (earlier Total reserved quota was 8000).
• Joint working group:
  • A JWG is being formalised to discuss steps on further mobility pathways between India and Italy through agreements on Youth Mobility and Facilitation of Recruitment of Indian qualified  professionals in the healthcare and medical services sectors.
  • It will act as a monitoring mechanism by  sharing relevant information, evaluating  implementation of Agreement. The JWG will  meet periodically to oversee implementation of the agreement.
• Temporary residence for skill training: Additional 12 month stay after the completion of academic pursuits for professional training is granted to Indian students.

India-Italy Bilateral Relations

• Historical ties:  Considered ancient civilisations with links going back 2,000 years.  India and Italy were linked through the Spice Route having important  port cities on it.
• Economic Ties:  Italy is India’s 4th largest trading partner in the EU with a bilateral trade of USD 13.229 billion in 2021-22.
  • Over 600 large Italian companies are active in India, covering varied sectors with famous  Italian brands such as Fiat, Ferrero Roche, KinderJoy, Tic Tac etc.
  • A startup bridge between Indian and Italian startup companies was also established.
• Strategic Ties: 
  • Elevation of the bilateral relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership in 2022 when Italian PM visited India 
  • Italian PM was the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the Raisina Dialogue 2023.
  • Cooperation on the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor.
  • Italy’s pulling  out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

News source: PIB