Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday highlighted India’s potential role in addressing ongoing international conflicts during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of UNGA about India’s involvement in global crises, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Meloni stated, “I think it can play a very important role.”
Her remarks come amid heightened tensions between the United States and India over New Delhi’s purchase of Russian oil. US President Donald Trump has criticized India and China for continuing to procure Russian oil, calling them “the primary funders of the ongoing war” in Ukraine.
The disagreement has led Washington to impose an additional 25% tariff on India, specifically targeting Russian oil imports, bringing total US levies on India to 50%. Indian officials have described the measures as unfair, defending their energy procurement decisions based on domestic needs. These tariffs have also complicated bilateral trade negotiations, temporarily delaying progress on a comprehensive trade agreement.
Despite these commercial tensions, the Trump administration has maintained a diplomatic approach, emphasizing continued engagement to address trade barriers. Notably, on September 17, Trump sent a birthday message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to him as a “friend” and commending his leadership, while acknowledging India’s role in seeking peace in Ukraine.
The India-Italy partnership has strengthened recently, with both countries showing alignment on the Ukraine crisis. Earlier this month, Modi and Meloni held a telephone conversation, reaffirming their commitment to deepen the India-Italy Strategic Partnership and to work toward an early resolution of the conflict. Modi later shared on social media: “Had an excellent conversation with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. We reaffirmed our joint commitment to deepen India-Italy Strategic Partnership, and shared interest in bringing an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”
