ROME/NEW DELHI, May 20 (Reuters) – A Colosseum selfie and a pack of toffees triggered a series of memes that lit up the internet on Wednesday, as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi ahead of talks in Rome.
Modi, who arrived late on Tuesday and visited the Colosseum with the Italian leader, gave Meloni a pack of toffees branded “Melody,” as the two sought to cement their already close ties.
A video published by Meloni on social media later showed her thanking Modi for the toffees as they both laughed heartily at the camera. Meloni captioned the post: “Thank you for the gift.”
In about six hours, the video drew more than 110 million views on Meloni’s social media accounts and tens of thousands of reposts.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party shared the clip, calling it an example of “PM Modi’s sense of humour”.
“(We have) a genuine friendship based on mutual respect and trust,” Meloni said during joint press statements with Modi.
Italy, like other European countries, has looked to India as a strategic partner and Meloni has had close ties with Modi since they met at the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi in 2023.
There, the nickname Melodi, a blend of their surnames, was coined on social media.
BRANDS JUMP ON BANDWAGON
Social media users in India marvelled at how such a small gesture as a gift of toffees could “break the internet”, while others questioned whether two prime ministers should engage in such public banter.
Brands quickly joined in. Quick-commerce firm Blinkit said it was seeing a surge in searches for “Melody”, made by unlisted Indian biscuits and confectionery maker Parle Products, while Air India posted a Rome-themed commercial referencing the toffee.
Shares of unrelated Parle Industries, which is into real estate and infrastructure, jumped 5% after the video was posted, with local media reporting that investors may have mistaken it for the toffee maker.
However, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Modi’s gesture, saying it was ill-timed when India faced economic pressures from the Iran war and rising energy prices.
The two leaders met again on Wednesday morning at the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili, a diplomatic venue where Meloni usually receives high-profile foreign leaders.
After their meeting, Meloni and Modi were due to plant a black mulberry tree in the gardens of the villa as a symbolic gesture of friendship.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante in Rome, YP Rajesh and Tanvi Mehta in New Delhi; Editing by Chiara Rodriquez)
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