India-Italy Elevated to 'Special Strategic Partnership'

19 May 2026National

PM Modi and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni upgraded ties with 15 outcomes, agreeing a Defence Industrial Roadmap, an MoU on critical minerals and raising the bilateral trade target from EUR 14 billion to EUR 20 billion.

ShareWhatsApp Telegram

More International Current Affairs

World Bank Group Launches Its First Digital Strategy at the Global AI and Digital Summit in Seoul

The World Bank Group launched its first-ever Digital Strategy at the inaugural Global Artificial Intelligence and Digital Summit 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. The strategy aims to benefit 1 billion people by 2030 through four priorities: connectivity, lower access costs, digital services and skills, and AI readiness. It notes that over 2 billion people were offline in 2025, with internet use at 23% in low-income countries against 94% in high-income countries, and that about 1.2 billion young people in developing countries will reach working age over 10-15 years against roughly 420 million jobs. An AI Infrastructure and Readiness Initiative starts in Africa and Latin America.

GK ByteThe World Bank Group has five institutions: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA and ICSID, and is headquartered in Washington DC | IBRD and the IMF were both created at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, with IBRD beginning operations in 1946 | The World Bank's flagship publications include the World Development Report, Global Economic Prospects and Doing Business's successor, Business Ready

📅 21 Oct 2026InternationalRead complete →

Cape Town Hosts the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference with Harivansh Leading India

The 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference was held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa, presided over by Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, Chairperson of South Africa's National Council of Provinces. The theme was 'Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order', with members from over 100 CPA branches at the General Assembly. The Indian delegation was led by Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Ruth Forrest MLC of Tasmania was named Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year, with lifetime achievement going to Dr Angelo Farrugia of Malta. The 70th conference will be hosted by Canada in 2027.

GK ByteThe Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and is headquartered in London | The Commonwealth of Nations has 56 member states and is headed by King Charles III, with its Secretariat at Marlborough House, London | India's Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman is elected by its members under Article 89 of the Constitution

📅 21 Oct 2026InternationalRead complete →

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk Begins Three-Day India Visit; Bilateral Talks with Modi Held in New Delhi

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived in New Delhi on 21 October 2026 for a three-day official visit at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation - his second visit to India as Prime Minister after 2010. He is accompanied by Finance and Economy Minister Andrzej Domanski and a large business delegation. Bilateral talks with Modi were held in New Delhi on 22 October, followed by India-Poland Business Forums in New Delhi (22 October) and Bengaluru (23 October). The agenda covers trade and investment, defence, emerging technologies, renewable energy, and education. Ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership during Modi's Poland visit in August 2024.

GK BytePoland's capital is Warsaw and its currency is the Polish Zloty | Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004 | Poland is India's largest trading partner in Central Europe, and the India-Poland Joint Action Plan covers 2024-28

📅 21 Oct 2026InternationalRead complete →

Marco Rubio Says India-US Trade Deal Is Nearly Done After Mumbai Talks with Jaishankar

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Mumbai on 20 October 2026 and said the two sides were 'about as close as you can be without having executed the agreement' on a bilateral trade deal, with only a few items left to settle. The two also held a US-India-UAE trilateral with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan covering regional energy security, trade, technology and connectivity. Rubio visited Jamnagar, Gujarat, on 21 October. A February 2026 framework had already cut the US tariff on most Indian goods from 50% to 18%.

GK ByteThe United Arab Emirates' capital is Abu Dhabi and its currency is the Dirham; the India-UAE CEPA came into force in May 2022 | The United States is India's largest trading partner in goods | The US Department of State, headed by the Secretary of State, was founded in 1789 and is housed in Foggy Bottom, Washington DC

📅 20 Oct 2026InternationalRead complete →

See all International →All Current Affairs