Melody for Meloni: PM Modis chocolate diplomacy breaks the internet, Melody memes return

PTC News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a fun and symbolic gift to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Rome — a packet of Parle's Melody toffee. The gift was a playful reference to the popular “#Melodi” internet trend, which combines the surnames of Modi and Meloni.

Meloni shared a video of the moment on social media and thanked Modi for the gift. In the clip, both leaders are seen smiling and holding the Melody toffee packet. Meloni jokingly says, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift a very, very good toffee,” to which Modi replies, “Melody.”

The video quickly went viral online, with users calling it “the ultimate #Melodi crossover.” Social media platforms were flooded with memes, screenshots, and edited clips, while many praised Modi for joining in on a meme that has become popular over the last few years.

The “#Melodi” trend first became widely famous during the COP28 summit in Dubai in 2023. At the time, Meloni posted a selfie with Modi captioned, “Good friends at COP28 #Melodi.” The post sparked a huge meme trend online, especially among users in India and Italy, who enjoyed the friendly chemistry between the two leaders.

This viral moment happened during Modi’s visit to Rome, the final stop of his five-country diplomatic tour. During the trip, Modi had dinner with Meloni and also visited the famous Colosseum with her. He also met members of the Indian community in Rome and thanked them for helping strengthen ties between India and Italy.

Apart from the social media buzz, the visit also had important diplomatic goals. India and Italy are expected to increase cooperation in areas such as trade, defence, maritime security, connectivity and strategic sectors.