Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has recalled a memorable experience from her 2023 visit to India, describing the warm reception she received during her trip to New Delhi. According to her account in Giorgia’s Vision, a book based on conversations with journalist Alessandro Sallusti, streets in the capital were decorated with posters showing her image alongside the message “Welcome.”
Meloni noted that when she was leaving India, she saw the same posters had been changed to read “Thank you for visiting,” an unexpected gesture that left a strong impression on her. The anecdote was reported by PTI.
Her experience also drew a light-hearted remark from Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who joked that if she had contested elections in New Delhi, she might have secured a million votes due to the visible public welcome.
Meloni visited India twice in 2023 — first in March for the Raisina Dialogue and later in September for the G20 Summit hosted in New Delhi.
During these visits, her interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gained attention, with the two leaders developing a friendly rapport that was widely discussed on social media. Their camaraderie even led to the playful nickname “Melodi,” a blend of their names, which trended online.
The relationship between the two leaders has occasionally been highlighted through informal gestures as well. On one occasion, during PM Modi’s visit to Rome, he gifted Meloni a packet of “Melody” toffees, a reference to the viral nickname. Meloni later shared the moment in a video, laughing about the coincidence.
At the G7 Summit in France, the two leaders were also seen chatting informally before a group photograph, where a hot mic moment showed Meloni jokingly referring to them as “the most famous couple on Instagram,” a remark that quickly went viral online.
In her book, Meloni reflects more broadly on diplomacy, suggesting that effective international relations are often shaped not only by formal negotiations but also by personal gestures, informal conversations, and shared moments that help build trust between leaders.
She illustrates this with various anecdotes involving other global leaders, describing how informal interactions—ranging from coffee breaks to personal gifts—have helped strengthen her diplomatic relationships.
