Beyond ‘Melodi’ selfie, dinner, Colosseum: What Modi-Meloni meet focuses on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have already checked off what social media had been waiting for: A dinner in Rome, a walk around the Colosseum and another addition to the now-familiar "Melodi" timeline.

Beyond the photographs

But beyond the photographs and the online buzz, the meeting between the two leaders appears to be entering a more consequential phase, with both sides pushing to give India-Italy relations a broader strategic shape.

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PM Modi arrived in Rome on Tuesday (May 19) in the final leg of his five-nation tour and was welcomed by his Italian counterpart, Meloni, with a post that quickly caught attention online. Sharing a picture with the Prime Minister, she wrote: "Welcome to Rome, my friend!"

The optics arrived first. The discussions are expected to follow.

Rome stop draws online attention

After landing, PM Modi and Meloni met for dinner before heading to the Colosseum, Rome's iconic amphitheatre that was lit up in the background of their widely shared images. The meeting soon became a talking point online, with users revisiting the "Melodi" phenomenon that first emerged after their earlier interactions.

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Modi later shared pictures from the evening and hinted that the agenda was much wider than ceremonial engagements.

"We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship," he said.

Beyond optics, strategic focus grows

The warmth in public interactions, however, sat alongside an expanding diplomatic and economic framework. In a jointly authored article for Indian and Italian media, both leaders indicated that ties between the two countries were moving beyond conventional engagement.

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"The relationship between India and Italy has now reached a decisive stage. In recent years, our ties have expanded with unprecedented momentum, evolving from a cordial friendship into a special strategic partnership grounded in the values of freedom and democracy, and a common vision for the future," the two leaders wrote.

Trade and industry on the agenda

Trade, technology, artificial intelligence, manufacturing and security cooperation are expected to dominate discussions. Italy has also signalled interest in deeper industrial collaboration with India as New Delhi continues to position itself as a major manufacturing and technology hub.

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"We want to reach and exceed the Euro 20 billion target for trade between Italy and India by 2029," they stated while identifying sectors including defence, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, machinery, automotive components and clean technology.

Human-centred AI partnership emerges

Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature prominently in the discussions, particularly as both countries have repeatedly argued for a more human-centred approach to emerging technologies.

"Building on India's vision of MANAV — putting human at the centre of technology – and Italy's leadership in promoting a human-centric 'algor-ethics' rooted in its humanist tradition, our partnership seeks to ensure that AI acts as a catalyst for social empowerment," they said.

(With agency inputs)