PM Modi's five-nation tour: What does it mean for India?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a five-nation tour, will be arriving in Italy shortly on the last leg of his tour. The tour, which included visits to the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy, signifies a shift in India's foreign policy towards strengthening technology and supply chain security. In the UAE, Modi condemned the recent attacks and signed pacts on strategic defence and petroleum reserves. In the Netherlands, 17 agreements were announced, including a major semiconductor deal between Tata Electronics and ASML. The visits to Sweden and Norway focused on green energy, deep tech, and maritime cooperation, marking the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Norway in 43 years. The diplomatic engagements aim to diversify India's global partnerships, enhance advanced technology capabilities, and reduce geopolitical dependency on China and the United States.