Kumar Bahukhandi
Meloni thanks Modi for ‘Melody’ during Italy visit-Photo Credit -PTI
Rome : Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting her ‘Melody’ toffees, reviving the light-hearted “Melodi” wordplay associated with the two leaders on social media.
In a social media post, Meloni shared a video in which she could be heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee — Melody.”
“Thank you for the gift,” the video caption read.
Modi, who was also seen in the video uploaded on Wednesday, burst into laughter as Meloni jokingly referred to the “Melody” toffee while showcasing the gift.
The hashtag “Melodi”, a blend of Modi and Meloni’s names, was coined by the Italian prime minister during the COP28 in Dubai in 2023 and later went viral on social media following the warm interactions between the two leaders at global events.
“Good friends at COP28,” Meloni had posted on social media with hashtag “Melodi”, captioning a photograph with the Indian leader.
Modi, who arrived in Rome on Tuesday May 19, 2026 , is on the final leg of his five-nation tour to the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy from May 15-20.
He is visiting Italy at the invitation of Meloni to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, defence, clean energy and technology.
The two leaders have maintained close engagement in recent years, with Meloni also visiting India for the G20 Summit in 2023.
Sharing the video, Meloni wrote, “Thank you for the gift”.
The ‘Melodi’ Diplomacy
‘Melodi’– a portmanteau of Meloni and PM Modi — has been the butt of many viral clips and memes depicting warm, unscripted moments between the two leaders at multilateral summits, racking up millions of views. In June 2025, Meloni herself captioned a small selfie video with PM Modi from their G7 Summit interactions, saying, “Hello, from the Melodi team.”
Since then, similar interactions at global events have reinforced the perception of a warm personal chemistry between the two leaders.
But the Modi-Meloni bond is not a mere photo opportunity. It is foreign policy in motion. But beneath the smiles and internet trends– Europe, especially Italy, has emerged as India’s most consequential global partner. Both nations are working towards the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) that anchors Rome as Europe’s gateway to the Indo-Pacific. The corridor aims to diversify global trade routes and reduce dependence on Beijing-led infrastructure networks.
Bilateral trade between the two nations has also crossed $16.77 billion, and the relations are gaining a new and higher dimension that combines the economic dynamism, societal creativity, and millennia-old civilisational wisdom of the two countries.
“The relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive stage. In recent years, our ties have expanded with unprecedented momentum, evolving from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership grounded in the values of freedom and democracy, and a common vision for the future,” the two leaders wrote in an article published on Tuesday.
They said that New Delhi and Rome want to reach and exceed the Euro 20 billion target for trade between Italy and India by 2029, with a focus on defence and aerospace, clean technologies, machinery, automotive components, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, agri-food, tourism and more.
Both sides are also actively advancing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, a broad framework for cooperation across multiple areas.
PM Modi’s Italy Visit
PM Modi met Meloni over dinner shortly after arriving in Rome on Tuesday, on the last leg of his five-nation visit. They both then undertook a visit to the iconic Colosseum, where they engaged in deep conversation over a wide range of subjects.
In a post on X, PM Modi shared glimpses of his visit with Meloni and said, “Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner, followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship.”
This was the most visual leg of PM Modi’s five-nation tour, with both leaders cashing in on the internet trend. The pictures, posted by both PM Modi and Meloni, defined not just their easy camaraderie but also the evolving Delhi-Rome ties from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership.
PM Modi also expressed deep appreciation for Italian painter Giampaolo Tomassetti during his official visit to Rome, spotlighting an extraordinary artistic tribute that bridges the cultures of India and Italy.
Tomassetti presented PM Modi with a striking painting of Varanasi, an ancient and spiritually significant city also known as Kashi. Highlighting the artist’s lifelong dedication to Indian heritage, PM Modi lauded Tomassetti’s decades of work capturing the essence of Vedic culture and historic epics.
“A glimpse of Kashi in Rome! Giampaolo Tomassetti, an Italian painter, presented his work on Varanasi,” PM Modi shared in a post on X.
“His passion for Indian culture goes back over four decades. In the 1980s, he started as an illustrator for books on Vedic culture. From 2008 to 2013, he worked on 23 large paintings relating to the Mahabharat.”
(With PTI Inputs )
