Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sparked another wave of the viral “Melodi” phenomenon during a cheerful exchange at the G7 Summit in Évian, France. The light‑hearted moment unfolded as world leaders gathered for the traditional family photograph, where Meloni greeted Modi warmly with a smile and handshake, saying, “Nice to see you again.”
The conversation quickly shifted to their unexpected online fame. Modi joked about the massive social‑media following the duo has accumulated, prompting Meloni to laugh and reply, “Yeah, we are the most famous on Instagram!” The remark referenced the viral “Melodi” trend — a nickname blending Meloni and Modi — which recently crossed 10 million likes on Instagram.
The trend began at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, when Meloni posted a selfie with Modi captioned “Good friends at COP28 #Melodi.” The post exploded online, spawning memes, edits and global engagement. The two leaders have since leaned into the humour. During Modi’s visit to Rome last year, he gifted Meloni a packet of Melody toffees, a playful nod to the nickname. Meloni later shared a video of the moment, calling it “a very, very good toffee,” which went viral worldwide.
Despite the light‑hearted social‑media buzz, officials noted that serious diplomacy underpins the India–Italy relationship. The two countries have elevated ties to a Special Strategic Partnership, expanding cooperation in defence manufacturing, technology, trade and supply‑chain resilience. Modi and Meloni held bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the summit, focusing on strengthening economic and strategic collaboration.
The renewed “Melodi” moment has once again captured global attention — blending diplomacy, personality and the power of social media in a way few political pairings manage.