India, Italy leaders hold talks marking thaw in relations

NEW DELHI – Leaders of India and Italy are holding talks and signing a slew of agreements that mark a thaw in their relations following the fatal 2012 shootings of two Indian fishermen by Italian marines who mistook them for pirates.

Talks between Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Monday covered a wide range of topics including ways to deepen bilateral economic and political relations.

With Gentiloni's visit, India and Italy have cast aside their strained relations.

The two countries disagree on the facts of the killing of the fishermen and who has jurisdiction in the case.

The two Italian marines await the decision, expected by about 2018, of an arbitration court in The Hague on whether their trial should be in Italy or in India.