As leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) gathered in France’s Evian-les-Bains on Tuesday to discuss pressing global issues, reaffirm support for Ukraine and review recent geopolitical developments, a brief exchange between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stole the spotlight online.
A video from the summit that has since gone viral shows Modi and Meloni greeting each other warmly and sharing a handshake before joining other world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, for the traditional group photograph. Though the audio is not entirely clear, Modi appeared to refer to their popularity on social media.
Responding with a smile, Meloni said, “Yes, we are the most famous couple on Instagram,” reviving the internet’s favourite “Melodi” trend.
The remark comes weeks after Modi’s visit to Rome, during which he gifted Meloni a packet of Parle’s Melody toffee — a playful nod to the viral nickname created by combining their surnames. Sharing the moment on social media, Meloni posted a video of the exchange and wrote, “Thank you for the gift.”
The clip showed both leaders holding a packet of the popular Indian confectionery and laughing about the online phenomenon. In the video, Meloni says, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift a very, very good toffee.”
“Melody,” Modi responds with a smile.
The ‘Melodi’ Phenomenon
The term “Melodi” — a combination of Meloni and Modi — first gained traction online following a bilateral meeting between the two leaders in 2023. Since then, photos, selfies and candid interactions between them at international summits have repeatedly gone viral, generating memes and millions of social media impressions.
Meloni herself embraced the trend in 2024 when she posted a selfie with Modi on social media with the caption, “Hi friends, from #Melodi.” During the 2025 G7 Summit, she again referenced the viral nickname, posting a selfie video with the Indian Prime Minister and captioning it, “Hello, from the Melodi team.”
Since then, every interaction between the two leaders has attracted widespread attention, reinforcing their reputation as one of the most talked-about diplomatic pairings on social media.
Beyond the viral moments, however, the Modi-Meloni relationship reflects growing strategic ties between India and Italy. The two countries have strengthened cooperation across trade, investment, defence and connectivity initiatives, including the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which positions Italy as a key European partner in India’s connectivity ambitions.
Bilateral trade between India and Italy has crossed $16.77 billion, underscoring the expanding economic partnership.
Last month, Modi and Meloni met in Rome during the final leg of the Prime Minister’s five-nation tour. The two leaders also visited the iconic Colosseum, where they held discussions on a range of bilateral and global issues, further highlighting the growing engagement between New Delhi and Rome.
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