Dear Prime Minister Modi,
Excellencies, distinguished guests.

Namaskar!

It is an honor for me to inaugurate this year’s Raisina Dialogue, and to do so in front of such an extraordinary audience. An audience that includes representatives from across the G20, with whom Italy shares a special responsibility to find solutions to our common global challenges. With this in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to share my appreciation for Prime Minister Modi’s hard work on handling a complex Presidency, and to reiterate Italy’s full support to its success.

I am told that the name of this international conference comes from Raisina Hill here in Delhi, from which the Government is granted a broader view of India’s capital city. In troubled times, like today, this is, I think, a fitting metaphor for the vision that we, as Leaders, thinkers, civil servants, need to adopt. It reminds me of the Palatino, the Campidoglio, and the other hills on which our ancestors founded ancient Rome, more than two thousand years ago, from which an extensive network of roads connected different provinces, leading from the center of the Italian peninsula to very diverse cultures. I think that it is also the way we need to do politics today. When I was running for the electoral campaign, I said that I didn’t want to climb the institutions to gain power, I wanted to climb the institutions for it is the only way that you can have a better view of what is happening and give the best solutions, and that is exactly what I see today.

As we look at events around us, our identity shapes our field of vision, both as individuals and as Nations. Identity is shaped deeply by geography. At the same time, our thoughts could be shaped by provocation. Here I would like to try to interpret in a positive way the very interesting question posed by the organizers of this conference and I will start from the word provocation, which could certainly be considered as an affront to our sensitivities, but also as a spur to think in a different way. A challenge to accept the challenges of uncertainty and turbulence, for nothing is more certain than the uncertainty of our historic times: this is definitely the era of uncertainty, and at the same time a period of unprecedented turbulence. We are in a tempest and we need to stand tall in considering our common challenges. We need to stand on the hill, take a deep breath and see our lands and seas and their problems in a more enlightened way: we need a lighthouse in the storm. That is why opportunities like the Raisina Dialogue are so precious in times of accelerated and confusing events, which risk to be governed only with superficial thoughts and hasty actions.

Therefore, let’s go back to the fundamental factors, including the geographical one, of our identities. And, considering some important similarities between the wide and profound wealth of the Indian and Italian ancient cultures and contemporary interests, I wonder if one can speak of the concept of “peninsularity”, which could have a place next to those of “insularity” and “continentality”. 

Italy is deeply European. Our roots and history are European, and together with the Nations across the continent, we have built Europe’s identity through the centuries. Yet, all of Italy’s long coastlines are bathed in the Mediterranean, the natural environment where the Judaic, Christian and Classic roots of Europe have developed. Geography has shaped our culture, our outward projection and our growth as a civilization. And much like India, the “peninsular factor” has given us a crucial resource: being both a continental and a maritime Nation. A key advantage, making us natural platforms for trade, logistics, and the dissemination of culture and science.

For centuries, our maritime flows have looked towards the South and to the rest of the Mediterranean, which remains our natural neighborhood. And with whom we are continuing to build mutually beneficial relations. This is the spirit enshrined in our vision, also dubbed the “Mattei Plan”, for the Mediterranean and for all the African continent, with its growing population, challenges and opportunities. A vast region which has also the resources, starting with energy, which are so crucial for Europe, but which should, first of all, benefit the peoples who are the owners of these commodities.  

Our objectives are simple: ensuring prosperity, peace and lasting friendship through collaboration on an equal footing. A collaboration aimed at providing tangible benefits for all. Without predatory ambitions. Without coercion, economic or otherwise. In these first few months of my tenure, I gave priority to developing equal partnerships on common priorities such as energy, and Italy is working to be the bridge connecting the Eastern Mediterranean, Africa and Europe. Producer countries should benefit from their resources, for their own prosperity and stability. Green energy, hydrogen and electricity will, more and more, be locally produced, for their own citizens and for Europe. Much like the energy transition, the digital transition is also based on connectivity. Data are the energy of our digital societies, and they will flow from India to Europe across the Mediterranean and Italy: the Blue Raman Project will link the Indo-Pacific to our European economies. 

In the past, the Alps at our North protected Italy, but they were also the area of connection to the rest of Europe. Likewise, the Mediterranean Sea was for centuries a sort of blind alley, the extreme appendix of the Atlantic Ocean. Human progress and ingenuity, however, made the impossible possible: a change in geography, a passage from the Mediterranean to the Indo-Pacific, through the Suez Canal. Today, the Mediterranean is really the sea in the middle, the basin which stands between the two major maritime spaces of the globe: the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific. Italy, with its peninsula, which lies in the very center of the Mediterranean Sea, continues to be, in every way, a fully integrated part of the Euro-Atlantic community and of the cultural and political West, but it is more and more projected towards the Indo-Pacific, regaining the history of our maritime republics and of Marco Polo. Especially after the opening of the Suez Canal, the laws of physics, starting with the communicating vessels, are those of trade. 

The impacts of such a shift are hard to exaggerate. 150 years later, as the Indo-Pacific has become a crucial center of gravity for the global economy, 40% of the EU’s foreign trade passes through the South China Sea, and much more transits through the Indian Ocean. 
Our two regions are more interconnected than ever before. Together, we account for 70% of global trade, and the EU has become the biggest investor in the Indo-Pacific, which contributes to two thirds of global economic growth. 

The world’s oceans connect us. They are essential to global commerce and our way of life. Today, shipping makes up 90 per cent of all international trade and freedom of navigation is crucial for our economies.

Global interconnection has enabled our economies to cooperate and flourish, but it comes at a cost, especially in times of turbulence within the international community. What happens in Europe affects the Indo-Pacific in ways it would not have in the past. And what happens in the Indo-Pacific has direct repercussions in Europe. This is not a surprise, this is not a “Black Swan”; it is rather a “Gray Rhino” we should have seen, and it is something we need to keep in mind as we move forward. This implies a new approach on how we work together. We need to see the world through a progressive lens, to focus with the same level of attention on both long and short-term dynamics. We face a war of aggression which brings us back to the tragedies of the 20th Century, but at the same time we need to have the necessary vision to be prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century.

The COVID-19 pandemic shook the foundations of international trade and mobility, and exposed profound weaknesses in the resilience of global supply chains, and in globalization as we knew it. They said we could solve every problem with free trade, we were going to have democracy and richness for everybody; it wasn’t like that, and we have to face what we were wrong in. As we worked to overcome these challenges, recover from the pandemic’s devastating impacts and restore global trade flows, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine disrupted global energy prices, endangered food security and sent waves of inflation across the world. To the detriment of the most vulnerable, especially in the Global South. 

It also put at risk global stability, peace and security, which depend on a predictable, rules-based international order.

Just one year ago, we were poised to face the challenges of the 21st century: eradicating poverty; addressing climate change; managing the impacts of digitalization on information flows and on daily life in our societies; handling the advent of new technologies such as quantum computing and Artificial Intelligence. 
However, the events of February 24th last year brought us back to the wars of the 20th century.

I was in Kyiv last week. I witnessed the hard reality on the ground, and felt the strength of the Ukrainians’ national spirit, among the destruction. 

The war is a war in Europe. Distant, geographically, from many other parts of the world, which in many cases are facing their own hardships, closer at hand.

This should not, however, overshadow the relevance of what is at stake. The Russian attack is not simply an act of war, or a localized conflict. It is an attack against the territorial integrity of a sovereign Nation, in violation of the fundamental principles of the global order that enables the international community to thrive. We cannot allow the very foundations of international law to be threatened, without which only military force would be taken into account and every State in the world would risk being invaded by its neighbor. These are not only the interests of the European countries, these are the common goods for the coexistence of all countries of the world. 

We cannot sit idly in the face of this provocation against the heart of the UN Charter, which threatens to undermine stability across the globe. We cannot allow the law of the strongest to overcome the strength of the law. 

I know that there are many who feel that Europe has, in the past, failed to acknowledge that the world’s problems are also its own. And perhaps, until the past few years, our geopolitical stance has been less vocal than it could have been. This is no longer the case, and initiatives such as the EU Strategy for the Indo-Pacific demonstrate that our views have, indeed, broadened. 

Regional affairs rapidly turn into global affairs in today’s interconnected world. And unfortunately, Europe’s problem today has become the world’s problem.

Italy and India share a profound conviction. That only the rule of law can allow humanity to prosper and develop, in balance and harmony. As forward-looking countries, with rich cultures dating back millennia, we have a common, human-centric vision, in which democracy, science, peace and prosperity go hand in hand. The relationship between Artificial Intelligence and ethics is crucial: all developments must be human-centered. Our strength lies in our human capital, in our abilities to create and to push the boundaries of science, knowledge and technology, while keeping the State at the service of our citizens. We are building new bridges between academic and research centers of Italy and India.

Despite the long history of our respective people, we are both young as States. We have had to overcome intense, similar struggles to establish ourselves as independent States. It is no coincidence that the Italian ’Risorgimento‘ was among the sources of inspiration for many Indians fighting for their independence, and that the work of Giuseppe Mazzini, a key figure for Italy’s unification, was translated, read and studied by many Indian patriots. Gandhi himself, whose “Young India” drew from Mazzini’s “Giovine Italia” recognized his influence, saying: “there are few examples in the world of a man who, alone, accomplished his country’s resurrection by the power of his thoughts and extreme dedication, throughout the course of his life”. Our civilizations have met, touched and influenced each other along the centuries. There are many examples, but one struck a particular chord with me: the discovery of an Indian ivory statue in the two thousand year-old ruins of Pompei. A powerful testimony of the depth of our historical relations. 

Our cultures are hymns to life and love, and we will continue to fight, with determination, against those who worship hate and violence. Terrorism is a cancer that also needs to be faced through a wide international cooperation, and it must be addressed with leadership and resolve.

As I sit in my office in Palazzo Chigi in Rome, which is known as the “prua d’Italia”, the bow of Italy, I am often reminded of my Nation’s maritime nature. As we navigate the waters of the world, we must navigate the new horizons of the 21st century. We need to see better as we move through uncertainty, to strengthen the resilience of our global relationships, through greater cooperation and diversification.

It is true that, as the title of this year’s Raisina Dialogue reminds us, we are weathering a storm. A terrible storm, which is making it difficult for our ships to sail, through cross-winds and violent waves crashing on the surf. Fear has crept into their crews and even the most seasoned sailors are hard pressed to make the right decisions. Those who are at the stern, carrying the responsibility of their crews and of their ships, can make the difference. This is precisely the choice we, as leaders, have ahead of us: either swaying into turbulent waters or guiding our ships towards the safety of a friendly harbor. Our compass is our common endeavor, to protect the shared human values that form the basis of our coexistence.

India is a key player in this broad landscape, bathing in the Indo-Pacific much as Italy is at the heart of the Mediterranean, and our two countries have important contributions to make together. This is why Prime Minister Modi and I have just announced the scaling up of our bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.

Building on bilateral tools and broader programs such as the EU Global Gateway, Europe and the Indo-Pacific – but also Latin America and the African continent – are enhancing their collaboration on all fronts, from connectivity to infrastructure and fair and sustainable trade, while keeping in mind a strategic priority for all of us: the energy transition. 

This will be a key element in the global fight against climate change, to which we all need to contribute, with different tasks and responsibilities. We have to do it bearing in mind our responsibilities towards the future generations, but also to our citizens today, and we need to do it in a balanced way: each country has to do its part. Failing to do so would have profound impacts on humanity worldwide, directly, through food shortages, droughts, extreme weather events and other disasters, but also indirectly, through new conflicts arising from climate-induced migrations and transboundary disputes over scarce resources. 

The need to accelerate the energy transition has been compounded by the energy crisis, which has highlighted the vulnerability of economies across the world. It has, however, also shown that global coordination on climate change is not a zero-sum-game, but a true shared interest. The same is true for technological development and dissemination, where India and countries throughout the Indo-Pacific have a central role to play, given their highly skilled workforce, their resources, and their strategic position along the global value chains. 

Our ability to work together on renewable energy, green hydrogen, circularity and the twin transitions will determine our success. And it requires a functioning international order.

This is something that we humans of the 21st century cannot do without, and that we need to nurture and reaffirm at every turn. The governance of multilateral organizations must be updated. But the cornerstones of multilateralism cannot be put in question, as they are also the cornerstones of peace and freedom. 

Let us not feed the false metaphor of a world divided, the West against the Rest. The unshakable unity in the face of the growing threat to international peace and stability goes well beyond the Western interest, it is a common interest.  This is, I believe, a key message that could emerge from the Indian G20 Presidency, as well as from the Raisina Dialogue. 

A message of hope, a message of unity. 

Every Nation can be a lighthouse, with the wealth and pride of its tradition and identity, which some would like to forget or hide or kick, but we are nothing without our roots. Our rights and the capability we have to recognize them depend on our tradition. Those who want to kick our tradition and our identity, want to kick our rights, so it’s an important struggle that we are facing all over the world and I know that, on this, we agree on the same point of view. Lighthouses do not obscure each other, but they can shine together and help all of us to navigate in these troubled waters.

Thank you very much.