Modi and Meloni’s sweet diplomacy
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that relations between India and Italy would be elevated to the level of a “special strategic partnership” following his visit to Italy, but the most viral moment of the talks turned out to be Indian candies, Qazinform News Agency reports.
After meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Modi released a statement describing the visit as “very productive” and highlighting the expansion of cooperation between the two countries across multiple sectors.
“A key outcome of the visit was our decision to elevate India-Italy ties to a Special Strategic Partnership, which will add new momentum to our cooperation in the years to come,” the Indian leader wrote on X.
However, social media users were especially drawn to a video shared by Meloni in which Modi presents her with the popular Indian Melody candies.
Users once again recalled the viral nickname “Melodi,” which emerged after the 2023 G20 summit as a combination of the surnames Modi and Meloni.
Following the publication of the video, interest in Melody candies surged across India, while local media reported temporary shortages of the sweets on some online delivery platforms.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Modi’s recent visit to the United Arab Emirates resulted in major agreements in energy, defence and infrastructure, including $5 billion in new UAE investment commitments to India.
