Interest from Italian companies in investing in Türkiye is set to continue increasing, Bekir Polat, vice president of the Investment and Finance Office, said on Tuesday.
Polat's remarks came in Rome after meetings with Italian business leaders to present Türkiye's investment climate and opportunities. He said ties between the two countries are strengthening across politics, trade and defense cooperation.
"Türkiye and Italy are currently in a period of strategic partnership," Polat told Anadolu Agency (AA). "Following our president's official visit to Italy earlier this year, very important developments took place. President (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have outlined a clear shared vision."
Polat said the two-day program in Rome aimed to reiterate Türkiye's progress over the past two decades and highlight the country's investment incentives, trade advantages and human-capital strengths. "We held meetings with companies from various sectors and invited them to Türkiye," he added.
The bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Italy stands at a balanced $32 billion, Polat said, noting that both sides have set a target of $40 billion.
More than 1,600 Italian companies currently operate in Türkiye, with total Italian investment exceeding $5 billion.
However, Polat said the potential remains far greater. "When we look at the relationship between the two countries, we believe current levels are still well below potential. More cooperation and more visits are necessary to realize this potential."
Polat said discussions in Rome highlighted several sectors with strong opportunities for cooperation, including aviation, defense, energy, logistics, machinery, infrastructure, tourism and gastronomy.
"We see significant opportunities for joint work with our Italian partners," he said. "We hope to achieve win-win outcomes for both countries."
"There is strong interest in Türkiye from Italy," Polat noted, adding that Turkish companies are also showing increasing interest in Italy. He observed during the trip that Turkish businesspeople, tourists and students have a visible presence in the country.
"These are strategic gains that will strengthen the relationship between the two countries in the medium and long term," he said.
Polat also noted that concrete projects for 2026 are already emerging in both investment and broader cooperation. Several initiatives are planned in Türkiye, particularly in Istanbul, as well as in Italy.
Polat said discussions in Rome also focused on Türkiye's growing technology and startup ecosystem.
"We held highly productive meetings on how the two countries can support each other, both in terms of funds and startups," he said. "We saw clearly that Italian firms are interested in Türkiye, and we believe this interest will continue to grow."
