Reuters
source: 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, opens new tab
