A brief yet cheerful exchange between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G7 Summit has once again set social media abuzz, reviving the viral ‘Melodi’ trend that has captivated the internet over the past few years.
As leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations gathered for a group photograph, PM Modi and Meloni greeted each other warmly and exchanged a few words. In a video widely shared online, PM Modi appeared to refer to their popularity on social media, prompting Meloni to quip: “Yes, we are the most famous couple on Instagram."
The remark instantly reignited the ‘Melodi’ craze, a playful portmanteau of Modi and Meloni coined by social media users after their first high-profile interactions in 2023.
The hashtag has since evolved into an internet phenomenon, with selfies, videos and candid moments between the two leaders garnering millions of views across platforms. Meloni herself embraced the trend in 2024 when she posted a selfie with PM Modi on social media, captioning it: “Hi friends, from #Melodi." Last year, she shared another video from the G7 Summit with the caption: “Hello, from the Melodi team."
The latest viral moment comes weeks after PM Modi gifted Meloni a packet of Parle’s Melody toffees during his visit to Rome, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the internet nickname. Sharing the clip on social media, Meloni thanked the Indian Prime Minister and described the confectionery as “a very, very good toffee", drawing amused reactions online.
While the ‘Melodi’ chemistry continues to fuel memes and light-hearted commentary, the relationship between India and Italy has expanded significantly in recent years.
The two countries are key partners in the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a strategic connectivity initiative aimed at linking India with Europe through the Middle East. Italy has emerged as an important European partner for India in trade, manufacturing, clean energy and defence cooperation.
Bilateral trade between India and Italy has crossed $16.7 billion, with both nations seeking deeper economic and strategic ties.
The latest interaction at the G7 Summit may have been brief, but it once again demonstrated how diplomacy and social media can combine to create a viral moment, one that the internet continues to celebrate as ‘Melodi’.
