20 May,2026 01:05 PM IST | Rome | mid-day online correspondent
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a packet of "Melody" toffees to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his visit to Rome, reviving the widely discussed "Melodi" trend that has repeatedly gone viral on social media.
The informal interaction between the two leaders, marked by laughter and a relaxed exchange, was later shared by Meloni on X. In the video posted online, the Italian Prime Minister was seen speaking about the gift while sharing a light moment with Modi.
"Prime Minister Modi brought us a gift - a very, very good toffee - Melody," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in the video as both leaders laughed during the interaction.
She also added a brief caption to the post saying, "Thank you for the gift."
The exchange quickly reignited online discussions around the viral "Melodi" trend, a term coined by social media users by combining the names of Modi and Meloni.
Over the past few years, the phrase has frequently been used online to describe the friendly public interactions between the two leaders during global summits and international events.
The trend has generated memes, videos and widespread online engagement, with many users viewing it as a symbol of the cordial relationship between India and Italy as well as the visible personal rapport shared by the two leaders.
The latest "Melody" gift moment once again became widely shared across social media platforms shortly after Meloni uploaded the video.
Earlier in the day, visuals from a special dinner hosted near the iconic Colosseum in Rome also attracted significant attention online.
Photos and videos circulating on social media showed Modi and Meloni sharing informal conversations, smiling for selfies and interacting casually during the evening gathering.
In some visuals, the two leaders were also seen standing on a balcony overlooking the Rome skyline during sunset, adding to the series of widely shared moments from Modi's Italy visit.
The interactions were seen as part of the increasingly warm diplomatic engagement between India and Italy in recent years.
The "Melodi" trend first gained widespread popularity during the COP28 summit held in Dubai.
At the time, Meloni had posted a selfie with Modi on X with the caption: "Good friends at COP28, Melodi."
Before that post, the term had largely been used informally by internet users and meme pages. However, Meloni's direct reference to the phrase helped push the trend into mainstream social media conversations.
Since then, Modi and Meloni's interactions at international gatherings have frequently attracted online attention, particularly during events such as the G20 New Delhi Summit, where their selfie and greetings were widely circulated online.
Prime Minister Modi is currently in Italy as part of the final leg of his multi-nation tour. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Giorgia Meloni aimed at strengthening cooperation between India and Italy in areas such as trade, investment, defence, clean energy and technology.
