Italy-Saudi ties go strategic: the Business Council in Milan

Rome: Italy and Saudi Arabia are deepening their strategic cooperation through business, culture, and infrastructure, with the Saudi-Italian Business Council in Milan highlighting shared ambitions. At the heart of this partnership lies the IMEC corridor, linking Europe, the Gulf, and India in a new era of connectivity.

Decoding the news. The business meeting in Milan marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals and Italy’s ambitions to expand its global industrial footprint. The event coincides with a broader geopolitical movement across the Indo-Mediterranean:

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is visiting Rome and New Delhi, reaffirming the trilateral dynamic between the U.S., India, and the key European ally.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected in Saudi Arabia as Riyadh and New Delhi move closer on strategic connectivity and economic cooperation.

Between the lines. The Saudi-Italian partnership isn’t just commercial. It carries geostrategic weight.

Italy is positioning itself as a hub between Europe and the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia seeks long-term partnerships with countries combining industrial capacity and cultural capital.

The focus areas include clean energy (hydrogen), design and manufacturing, infrastructure, and food security.

IMEC aims to link India to Europe via the Gulf through a web of railways, ports, digital infrastructure, and energy corridors.

Italy, India, and Saudi Arabia (and the UAE) are all critical nodes in this corridor.

The Milan forum and Modi’s Jeddah visit signal alignment on trade and a new multilateral infrastructure of influence.

IndoMed is in progress. The Saudi-Italian business dialogue is a much larger story: a shifting global order in which strategic corridors—not just alliances—define connectivity, security, and power projection from the Indo-Pacific to the Mediterranean.