Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday, 10 June congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on becoming India's longest-serving elected Prime Minister, expressing readiness to deepen bilateral ties and create new opportunities for the people of both nations.

PM Modi marked 12 years at the helm of the Central government on Wednesday, surpassing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's record with 4,399 days in office as an elected Prime Minister.

Meloni's Congratulatory Message

In a post on X, Meloni wrote: 'Congratulations to Narendra Modi who today becomes the longest-serving elected Prime Minister in the history of India. It has been a pleasure to meet again in Rome in recent weeks and to launch together a Special Strategic Partnership that looks to the future to create new opportunities for our Nations and our peoples.'

The message underscores the personal warmth that has come to define the India-Italy relationship under the two leaders, a dynamic that has drawn considerable attention on the international stage.

The Rome Visit and Special Strategic Partnership

The congratulatory note follows PM Modi's two-day official visit to Italy in May 2025, during which he held talks with both Meloni and Italian President Sergio Mattarella. The two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to the level of a Special Strategic Partnership — a significant upgrade in the diplomatic framework governing the relationship.

Both sides welcomed what they described as the 'strong momentum' of high-level exchanges and committed to holding annual leader-level meetings, including on the sidelines of multilateral events, alongside regular ministerial and institutional-level engagements.

Scope of Bilateral Cooperation

Comprehensive discussions during the Rome summit covered the full breadth of the India-Italy partnership, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. The two leaders reviewed progress under the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-2029, agreeing to expand collaboration across trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, space, energy, artificial intelligence, critical technologies, education, culture, and people-to-people ties.

On defence, both leaders expressed satisfaction with deepening cooperation through ministerial exchanges, port visits, and regular engagement of defence forces. They also welcomed the signing of a Joint Declaration of Intent and an Industrial Roadmap for co-design, co-development, and co-production of defence products.

The 'Melodi' Moment

PM Modi presented Meloni with a packet of 'Melody' toffees during the visit — a gesture that revived the widely popular #Melodi trend online. The informal exchange, marked by visible laughter between the two leaders, was later shared by Meloni on Instagram. 'Prime Minister Modi brought us a gift — a very, very good toffee — Melody. Thank you for the gift,' she said in the video.

The term 'Melodi' — a portmanteau of their surnames — has become a recurring viral phenomenon on social media, reflecting the visible personal rapport between the two leaders at various international engagements. The trend has generated memes, discussions, and widespread online attention, while also symbolising what observers describe as a perceived strengthening of India-Italy relations.

What This Signals

The milestone comes at a moment when India is actively broadening its strategic footprint in Europe. The elevation to a Special Strategic Partnership with Italy — a G7 member and key NATO ally — adds another anchor to New Delhi's multi-alignment strategy. With annual leader-level meetings now institutionalised, the relationship is expected to move beyond symbolic gestures toward substantive deliverables in defence and technology.