“Long Live India-Italy Friendship!”: PM Modi Responds to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s Selfie Video

Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded warmly to a selfie video shared by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "Lunga vita all'amicizia Italia-India!" Modi wrote in Italian on X, which translates to "Long live India-Italy friendship."

Lunga vita all'amicizia Italia-India! 🇮🇳 🇮🇹 https://t.co/vtOv8lfgft

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 15, 2024

Meloni shared the video on her official X handle earlier today, featuring both leaders. In the clip, she is heard saying, "Hello from the Melodi team." The video and a selfie of the leaders, taken on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Italy, quickly went viral on social media.

Hi friends, from #Melodipic.twitter.com/OslCnWlB86

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 15, 2024

The G7 summit, held in Italy's Apulia region, included participation from leaders of the seven-member nations—the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France—along with the European Union. Italy extended invitations to leaders from 11 developing nations across Africa, South America, and the Indo-Pacific region, with India invited as an 'Outreach Country.'

During the summit, Modi and Meloni discussed defence and security cooperation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that both leaders welcomed the forthcoming visit of the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour and training ship ITS Vespucci to India later this year. They also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and agreed to advance their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific under the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative framework.

Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to the Italian government for recognising the Indian Army's contribution to the Italian campaign during World War II. He announced that India will upgrade the Yashwant Ghadge Memorial in Montone, Italy.

Last year, Modi and Meloni shared a selfie at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, with Meloni captioning it "good friends at COP28" using the hashtag "Melodi."

Good friends at COP28.#Melodipic.twitter.com/g0W6R0RJJo

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) December 1, 2023