Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a light-hearted and unique gift -- a “Melody” toffee packet-- to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, bringing back the widely popular “#Melodi” moment that has often gone viral on social media. The informal exchange, marked by laughter between the two leaders, was later shared by the Italian PM on Instagram, where she also spoke about the gesture and the gift received from the Indian Prime Minister.
Sharing the video of the moment, Meloni said, “Prime Minister Modi brought us a gift -- a very, very good toffee -- Melody,” as both leaders were seen sharing a laugh during the interaction. She further added in her caption, “Thank you for the gift.”
The “Melodi” phenomenon -- a portmanteau combining the names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Giorgia Meloni -- has become a recurring viral trend online, reflecting the visible personal rapport and friendly exchanges between the two leaders during various international engagements.
The term has frequently been used by social media users to highlight their light-hearted interactions at global platforms, often turning into viral moments that generate memes, discussions and widespread online engagement, while also symbolising a perceived strengthening of India-Italy relations.
Earlier in the day, visuals and pictures from a special dinner hosted near the iconic Colosseum in Rome also attracted significant attention online. The two leaders were seen sharing a casual moment, including a smiling selfie and a relaxed interaction that quickly spread across social media platforms.
They were also seen standing on a balcony enjoying the sunset over the historic city of Rome, adding to the series of informal and friendly exchanges that have characterised their public appearances. The viral 'Melodi' trend originally gained momentum after Meloni posted a selfie on X during the COP28 summit in Dubai, where she captioned it, “Good friends at COP28, #Melodi”.
Till then, Melodi was just a meme hashtag used by Internet users. Since then, the duo has frequently drawn attention for their warm greetings, handshakes and cordial interactions at multiple international events, including their widely shared selfie at the G20 Summit held in New Delhi.