New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a dialogue with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reaffirming both countries' dedication to enhancing the India-Italy Strategic Partnership and collaborating on urgent global issues, including the situation in Ukraine.
In a post on X, PM Modi stated, "I had a productive discussion with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to strengthening the India-Italy Strategic Partnership and expressed our desire for a swift resolution to the conflict in Ukraine."
"I expressed gratitude to PM Meloni for Italy's proactive support in finalizing a mutually advantageous India-EU trade agreement and for fostering connectivity through the IMEEEC initiative," the post further mentioned.
As per the Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders evaluated and positively acknowledged the progress in their bilateral Strategic Partnership across various sectors, including investment, defense, security, space, science & technology, education, people-to-people relations, and counter-terrorism.
Moreover, the MEA highlighted that "both leaders reiterated their commitment to further enhancing the Partnership, in accordance with the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29."
They also shared perspectives on regional and global matters of common interest, agreeing on the necessity for a prompt and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. PM Modi reaffirmed India's unwavering support for initiatives aimed at achieving this goal.
Prime Minister Meloni reaffirmed Italy's robust backing for the prompt conclusion of a mutually advantageous India-EU Free Trade Agreement and for the successful hosting of the AI Impact Summit by India in 2026. The leaders also concurred on advancing connectivity through the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEEC) initiative, as stated by the MEA.
The leaders agreed to maintain communication.
The two leaders recently convened on the sidelines of the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June. During their discussion, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his optimism regarding the strengthening friendship between India and Italy, asserting that the bilateral relationship would continue to grow and yield mutual benefits for both countries.
A video captured PM Modi welcoming Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with a handshake and engaging in a brief dialogue with her during the summit.
The camaraderie between PM Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been trending on social media, with their interactions giving rise to the hashtag #Melodi.
PM Modi and Meloni have demonstrated their friendly relationship in videos and selfies, including one taken at the COP28 summit in Dubai, where Meloni captioned the image "Good friends at COP28, #Melodi."
