Indo - Italian Trade Relations: SME Collaboration and Technology Transfer as Drivers of Bilateral Cooperation

India and Italy's economic relationship has grown well beyond simple trade, extending into industrial cooperation, institutional engagement and policy coordination. As global supply chains shift and uncertainty grows, both countries have leaned towards policy driven cooperation, with SMEs and technology transfer emerging as central parts of that strategy - key drivers of innovation, competitiveness and sustainable growth. This thesis takes a policy oriented approach to Indo-Italian trade relations, focusing on how government initiatives, institutional frameworks and bilateral agreements shape SME collaboration and technology transfer. Rather than tracking trade indicators, it examines the policy instruments, regulatory environments and cooperative mechanisms behind cross-border engagement and how industrial policy and bilateral platforms enable SME participation and technological exchange. The analysis draws on secondary sources - government documents, bilateral agreements, institutional reports and industry publications - using qualitative methods to assess policy measures such as SME support programs, technology partnerships and joint research initiatives, alongside the role of chambers of commerce and diplomatic institutions in connecting policy to private-sector action. The findings show that policy-driven SME collaboration and structured technology transfer strengthen bilateral cooperation by lowering entry barriers, building institutional trust and fostering long-term industrial linkages. But real challenges remain: regulatory fragmentation, weak inter-institutional coordination and uneven SME access to support. The thesis concludes that deepening this cooperation will require more coherent policy, stronger institutional coordination, and sustained bilateral dialogue.