A Successful Focus on India at the Shipping, Forwarding & Logistics Meet Industry Forum – Milan, March 4, 2025
The Shipping, Forwarding & Logistics Meet Industry Forum, held in Milan this March, was a resounding success, offering invaluable insights into the evolving dynamics of India-Italy relations and the growing opportunities for trade, investment, and collaboration in the maritime and logistics sectors.
This year’s Focus on India session brought together a distinguished group of experts, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore the future of India’s ports and logistics infrastructure and the potential for deeper economic ties between India and Italy. As India continues to be one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, it serves as a key hub for Italian businesses seeking new growth opportunities across sectors such as logistics, manufacturing, investment, and tourism.
Key Highlights from the Event
The event was moderated by Riccardo Fuochi, President of The International Propeller Club – Port of Milan, and featured a series of dynamic presentations and discussions covering the current and future state of India-Italy relations, as well as broader EU cooperation.
Mr. Lavanya Kumar, Consul General of India, opened the session with a compelling keynote address titled “Sailing Toward the Future: India-Italy Partnerships and the Transformation of India’s Maritime Infrastructure.” In his remarks, he highlighted the significant progress India is making in developing its ports and logistics infrastructure, which is creating new opportunities for bilateral partnerships.
Following Mr. Kumar’s remarks, Maja Bakran Marcich, Deputy Director-General at the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, delivered an insightful presentation on “EU-India Cooperation in Transport and Logistics: Current Status and Future Outlook,” highlighting the ongoing cooperation between the EU and India in developing sustainable, efficient transport networks and the possibility of finalizing the EU-India Free Trade Agreement by the end of the year.
Marco Lenti, a partner at Studio Legale Mordiglia, then took the stage to discuss “Italy-India Relations in the Context of International Conventions, ” emphasizing the importance of international agreements in facilitating smoother trade and business operations between the two nations.
Izabell Laday, Country Manager for Logwin Air + Ocean Italy, shared her insights on “India as a Global Hub for Logistics and Manufacturing,” highlighting India’s growing potential as a key player in the global logistics and manufacturing industries.
The event also featured Roberto Bova, Line Manager for the Messina Line, who spoke on “India-Italy Logistics Connectivity: The Messina Line Case, ” highlighting how shipping companies are adapting to meet the demands of an increasingly connected global market.
Vincenzo Nobile, Senior Manager at Saledil, offered valuable insights from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in “Navigating Shipping Challenges: The SME Experience in Import and Logistics.” His presentation highlighted the unique challenges SMEs face and the strategies needed to overcome them in the Indian market.
Finally, Cecilia Giannini, Head of International Projects at the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Italy, highlighted the critical role the Chamber plays in facilitating trade, investment, and collaboration between India and Italy. Her presentation, “Navigating the Indian Market: The Value of the Indian Chamber of Commerce for Italy,” underscored the Chamber’s efforts to support Italian businesses entering the Indian market and vice versa.
A Platform for Collaboration and Growth
The event provided a solid platform for exchanging ideas and fostering collaborations that will shape the future of bilateral trade and logistics. The discussions were substantive, with participants exploring new avenues for cooperation across key sectors such as port development, sustainability, supply chain management, and digitalization.
As Italy seeks to strengthen its ties with India, the event reaffirmed the shared goals of both nations to build mutually beneficial partnerships that drive growth, enhance economic connectivity, and support sustainable development across industries.
Looking Ahead
The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Italy is proud to have played a key role in facilitating this important dialogue between Indian and Italian industry stakeholders. We are excited about the future prospects of India-Italy trade relations and look forward to continuing these discussions in the coming months.
The success of this event marks just the beginning of what we hope will be an ongoing exchange of ideas, investment, and innovation between India and Italy. Together, we can continue to unlock new opportunities that will benefit both nations and contribute to the global economy.
Stay tuned for future events and initiatives as we continue to foster collaboration and growth between Italy and India!
