PM Modi On Stage, Giorgia Meloni's Hindi Moment Goes Viral In Rome

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni surprised many on Wednesday when she reached for a Hindi phrase to describe the spirit of Italy-India ties during a joint press statement with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"There is an Indian word which states that very well, which is 'parishram'. 'Parishram', which means hard work, constant commitment. A word which I know is very often used in India, and it is often used in a very popular way of saying: 'Parishram hi safalta ki kunji hai'," Meloni said.

She translated the phrase herself: "Which means, tough work is the key to success. And we use it to build our relations in this way, with hard work, which becomes success at the end."

Meloni said PM Modi's visit had opened a fresh chapter in bilateral relations and that both countries would work to deepen those ties going forward.

PM Modi arrived in Rome on Tuesday night, the last stop on a five-nation tour. He received a ceremonial military honour upon arrival ahead of talks with his Italian counterpart.

PM Modi Brings Melody To Rome

The visit also had a lighter moment. Modi carried a packet of Parley's Melody toffee as a gift for Meloni -- a nod to "Melodi", the portmanteau that fans and meme-makers have coined from the two leaders' names.

Meloni shared a video of the moment on her social media accounts, captioning it: "Thank you for the gift." The clip showed both leaders holding the candy, known for its "very, very chocolaty" tagline, laughing as they acknowledged the running internet joke.

"Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift a very, very good toffee," Meloni said in the clip.

"Melody," PM Modi replied.

The "Melodi" trend traces its roots to candid, unscripted moments between the two leaders at multilateral summits, which have collectively gathered millions of views online. In June 2025, Meloni herself leaned into it, captioning a short selfie video from their G7 interactions with: "Hello, from the Melodi team."