'We're Instagram's most famous couple': Meloni tells Modi at G7
What's the story
A video of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni cracking jokes at the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, has gone viral on social media. The clip shows the two leaders exchanging pleasantries before a group photo with other world leaders. In the video, PM Modi appears to joke about their popularity on social media, to which Meloni responds: "Yes, we are the most famous couple on Instagram."
Twitter Post
Watch video here
Modiji and meloni 😍 pic.twitter.com/6iWmtkCIUN
— Jash (@jeetcasm) June 16, 2026
Diplomatic connection
'Melodi' trend
The light-hearted exchange has revived the "Melodi" trend, a portmanteau of their names, which started as an internet joke after their bilateral meeting in 2023. The term has been used in viral clips and memes showing unscripted moments between the two leaders at multilateral summits. Meloni first used the term in a post with a selfie with PM Modi in 2024, captioning it: "Hi friends, from #Melodi."
Trend impact
Melodi moment
In June 2025, Meloni shared a selfie video with PM Modi from their G7 Summit interactions, captioning it: "Hello, from the Melodi team." The term has since become synonymous with their diplomatic rapport. However, the PM Modi-Meloni bond is more than just a social media trend. It reflects a growing partnership between India and Italy in global affairs.
Strategic partnership
India-Italy ties
Italy has become one of India's most important global partners. The two nations are working on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which positions Rome as Europe's gateway to the Indo-Pacific. Bilateral trade between India and Italy has crossed $16.77 billion, reflecting the strength of their economic ties. Cumulative Italian foreign direct investment in India stood at $3.66 billion between April 2000 and September 2025.