At the COP28 Global Climate Summit in Dubai, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy enjoyed a
pleasant moment together.
On her social media account, Meloni shared a selfie she took with PM Modi, writing, "Good friends at COP28. #Melody." The post resonated with online users as a symbol of the cordial relations between Italy and India during the Global Climate Summit, garnering over 362,000 likes and numerous comments.
In addition to the COP28 conference, PM Modi met with
his Italian counterpart and expressed optimism for a long-lasting and fruitful
partnership between Italy and India. He said, "Our vision revolves around fostering cooperative
initiatives that pave the way for a sustainable and thriving future between
India and Italy." PM Modi spoke at
the COP28 summit's opening session and took part in high-level events for heads
of state and government. He also participated in a high-level program on the
Green Credit Program, a leadership group (LEADIT) on industrial transformation,
and the Presidential session on transforming climate finance.
In addition to Meloni, Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Israeli President
Isaac Herzog, Jordan's King Abdullah II, French President Emmanuel Macron, and
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres were among the international leaders with
whom Prime Minister Modi met one-on-one.
The hashtag #Melody
On social media, the hashtag #Melody gained popularity as a representation of PM Modi and Meloni's friendship. During a brief conversation, their lighthearted banter and laughter went viral, inspiring the creation of memes and clips that were frequently paired with Bollywood songs.
Auguri di buon compleanno @narendramodi.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) September 17, 2023
Un amico impegnato a costruire il futuro ed orgoglioso della storia di una grande Nazione vicina all’Italia.
Meloni's visit to India
Meloni and PM Modi have previously
shared a moment together. Meloni's visit to India in September for the G20
Summit generated a lot of buzz on social media during their meeting. The
friendship between them was on display when Meloni wished PM Modi a happy 73rd
birthday in September, referring to him as a "friend committed to building
the future and a source of pride for Italy."
Meloni hailed Prime Minister Modi as her favorite
global leader during her first trip to India in March. She praised PM Modi for
being the first female and youngest leader of Italy and noted his global
popularity.
In return, PM Modi greeted Meloni on
her first visit to India. On behalf of the Indian people, he congratulated her
on becoming the first female prime minister of Italy and the youngest prime
minister overall.