Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni greeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rome on Tuesday with a selfie, a short message and a familiar internet nickname that quickly spread across social media again.
“Welcome to Rome, my friend!” Meloni wrote on X alongside a photograph with Modi near the Colosseum. Within hours, #Melodi — the online nickname combining the two leaders’ surnames –was trending across Indian social media platforms. But behind the viral moment was a packed diplomatic agenda.
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Modi Meloni Rome meeting focuses on trade and IMEC
Modi arrived in Rome as part of the final stop of his five nation tour that included Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates. India and Italy are preparing to deepen their strategic partnership through new agreements covering defence, artificial intelligence, maritime transport and critical minerals.
Italian officials said the two countries are targeting bilateral trade worth €20 billion ($23.2 billion) by 2029. Trade between the countries already exceeded €14 billion in 2023, according to the Italian embassy in New Delhi. Discussions also focused heavily on the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC, a trade route announced during the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi. The corridor aims to connect India to Europe through shipping, rail and energy infrastructure running across the Middle East.
Modi said before the meetings that talks would focus on “strengthening India–Italy cooperation”, particularly through IMEC projects.
Europe’s India pivot becomes clearer
The Rome visit comes as several European governments seek closer economic ties with India while reducing strategic dependence on China. Italy formally exited China’s Belt and Road Initiative in late 2023. Since then, Meloni’s government has pushed for stronger engagement with India across manufacturing, technology and Indo-Pacific security.
Both leaders are also expected to discuss the Ukraine war and tensions in the Middle East during meetings at Rome’s Villa Doria Pamphili. Modi is scheduled to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella and visit the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters before leaving Italy on Wednesday.
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