Melodi
'Welcome my friend!' Meloni clicks selfie with Modi in Rome as he reaches Italy as part of five-nation tour
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who shares a warm rapport with her Indian counterpart, welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rome on Tuesday, sharing a selfie with him that quickly went viral online.
Posting the image on X, Meloni wrote: “Welcome to Rome, my friend!” accompanied by Indian and Italian flag emojis. The post has since garnered widespread attention, receiving over 118,000 likes and thousands of comments.
Welcome to Rome, my friend! 🇮🇹🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/mUjFL4HIqY
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) May 19, 2026
The photograph shows the two leaders taking a selfie against the illuminated backdrop of the Colosseum, the iconic ancient amphitheatre in Rome.
Modi shared few other images of his meeting with Miloni and wrote on X: "Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship."
Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the… pic.twitter.com/df0bDYKCdU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2026
During his visit to Italy, Prime Minister Modi said he would meet President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Meloni for discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and Italy. He highlighted that special focus would be given to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
He also noted that the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 would be reviewed during the visit. Additionally, Modi said he would visit the headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), reaffirming India’s commitment to multilateralism and global food security.
The friendly exchanges between the two leaders have frequently drawn attention on social media. In 2024, during Modi’s visit to Italy for the G7 Summit, Meloni shared a video with him on X, captioned “#Melodi,” a hashtag that went viral online. Responding to it, Modi wrote: “Long live India-Italy friendship!”
Hi friends, from #Melodi pic.twitter.com/OslCnWlB86
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 15, 2024
In 2023, the two leaders were also seen taking a selfie during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, whichgained significant traction online.
Good friends at COP28.#Melodi pic.twitter.com/g0W6R0RJJo
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) December 1, 2023
These repeated interactions have come to symbolise the cordial relationship between the two leaders and the growing strategic partnership between India and Italy.
Prime Minister Modi is currently on a five-nation tour, with Italy being one of the key stops.
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