Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio on Thursday welcomed a ruling by a Hague-based international arbitration court that two Italian marines should stand trial in their homeland over the 2012 killings of two Indian fishermen.
"Today brings a long period of agony to an end...Italy's position has prevailed after a lengthy battle," Di Maio wrote on Facebook.
He was referring to the dispute between Italy and India over where riflemen Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre should be tried.
"Our two marines, officials of the Italian state, who were carrying out their duties, are immune from foreign jurisdiction," read Di Maio's post.
"It is very good news that is the fruit of a huge amount of work over these years by the legal team safeguarding Italy's interests in Indian and international courts as well untiring efforts by our diplomats," the post added.
The two marines are accused of shooting dead two fishermen in Indian waters off Kerala in February 2012 while they were stationed on Italian commercial ship Enrica-Lexie assigned to anti-piracy duties.
"Under my watch we have never stopped following the case, but I would also like to thank my predecessors for their commitment and determination over this incident," Di Maio continued.
In its ruling, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration court said India must halt its prosecution of the marines but ordered Italy to try them and to pay compensation to India "for loss of life, physical injuries, material damage to the vessel and moral harm suffered by the commander and crew of the fishing vessel."
"Italy naturally respect the court's ruling, in a spirit of cooperation," Di Maio wrote.
The Hague court invited the two countries to enter into negotiations to reach a final financial settlement.
Girone and Latorre were held in custody in India for several years as local prosecutors pressed murder charges.
The fatal shootings of two unarmed fishermen and India's claim of jurisdiction in the case, strained relations between Rome and New Delhi.
