The news of IVECO's acquisition by the Indian group Tata did not come as a surprise and closes a circle that says a lot about the current situation of that country and its relations with Italy. Heavy transportation in India was long based in the last century on Tata, the dominant group, and on Ashok Leyland, smaller, agile, and owned by Fiat.

As new dangerous players, such as Volvo and the Japanese, were looming on the horizon, Tata proposed to Fiat to transfer control of Ashok Leyland to them, thus putting it in a position to consolidate in the domestic market and face the new competition from a position of strength.

The agreement also included a renewed commitment from Tata to relaunch Fiat's presence in the private market (of which Tata was the historical, albeit controversial, partner).

At the time, the whole thing raised several doubts. However, the agreement was made and it was quickly absorbed into the new group. The relaunch of Fiat cars resulted in yet another flop.

But as the IVECO affair confirms, our relations with India are now going through a phase of great development, and political and commercial relations are strengthening. The flow of exchanges sometimes reverses, and perceptions of the relative power dynamics also vary. We should learn to take this into account.