Melody diplomacy decoded: Why PM Modi gifted Giorgia Meloni Rs 1 chocolate and what India gained from Italy visit
In today's DNA episode, Zee News Managing Editor Rahul Sinha decodes how PM Narendra Modi’s one-rupee Melody toffee gift to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni became a global diplomatic sensation, strengthened India-Italy ties, and turned a simple chocolate into a symbol of soft power diplomacy.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsIndia has given the world yoga, zero, and the moon's south pole. But in May 2026, a small chocolate worth one rupee made headlines across the globe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Italian PM Giorgia Meloni a packet of Melody toffee during his visit to Italy. The world had never seen diplomacy quite like this before.
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Also Read: 'Melodi' moment - PM Modi gifts ‘Melody’ chocolate to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni
PM Modi meets Giorgia Meloni in Rome for bilateral talks
PM Modi arrived in Rome for an official visit to Italy today. He met Meloni at her official residence for bilateral talks. The two leaders have met several times before. Their bond is widely known as "Melody chemistry" because the first four letters of Meloni and the last two letters of Modi spell M-E-L-O-D-Y.
Modi-Meloni melody video goes viral on Instagram
Meloni made a short video holding the Melody chocolate packet alongside PM Modi. She posted it on Instagram at 11:48 AM Indian time. Within a few hours, 10 crore people had watched the Modi Meloni Melody video. The post later crossed 13 crore views and 75 lakh likes, breaking the record set earlier by Modi's own jhalmuri reel.
India-Italy relations upgraded to special strategic partnership
PM Modi's Italy visit 2025 was not just about chocolate. India and Italy signed agreements worth far more. Both countries upgraded their ties to a Special Strategic Partnership. They agreed to grow bilateral trade to 20 billion euros by 2029. India and Italy will also work together on critical minerals like lithium and cobalt.
India-Italy sign deals on AI, defence and clean energy
The two countries signed deals on shipping, farming technology, clean energy, and artificial intelligence. They agreed to jointly produce helicopters and submarine equipment for their defence forces. Italy will serve as India's main entry point into the European market. Both prime ministers decided to hold annual meetings at the highest level.
Melody chocolate goes out of stock after viral Modi-Meloni moment
Back in India, the Melody chocolate went out of stock on quick delivery apps within hours of the viral video. Shares of Parle Industries Limited jumped over 5 percent on the stock market following the Modi-Meloni Melody moment. Parle Products, the actual maker of Melody chocolate since 1983, is not listed on any stock exchange. But the company publicly thanked PM Modi for giving the Indian brand a global identity.
Rahul Gandhi questions PM Modi's Italy visit
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the Melody gift and questioned the purpose of Modi's Italy visit. But the numbers told a different story. Over 65 lakh people shared Meloni's post within hours. No expensive state gift had ever earned India this much global attention in a single day.
How one-rupee toffee became India's soft power symbol
The Modi-Meloni Melody moment reminded the world that big diplomacy does not always need a big budget. A one-rupee toffee sent a message no press conference could. India spoke not with gold or silk but with something every Indian child knows by heart.