Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Indian PM Narendra Modi's Viral Selfie Steals the Show at COP28 Summit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni showcased her familiarity with internet sub-culture by sharing a selfie with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on her official Instagram account on December 1. Meloni, 46, caught the attention of online users with a clever caption and the hashtag #Melodi, a playful combination of the surnames of the two leaders. The post garnered over 110,000 likes and numerous comments, indicating their popularity on online platforms.

The meeting between Meloni and Modi took place on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, UAE, where discussions focused on sustainability and environmental conservation. Prime Minister Modi had earlier posted a photo with Meloni, expressing optimism about India and Italy collaborating for a prosperous and sustainable future.

The two leaders had previously met in Delhi in September, with Meloni visiting India on her maiden trip. They exchanged pleasantries and laughter during their interaction, and Meloni extended birthday wishes to PM Modi with a heartfelt message emphasizing their shared commitment to building the future.

Meloni's visit to India in March, coinciding with the diamond anniversary of the bilateral relationship, preceded the G20 Summit. During the COP28 summit, PM Modi also met with several other world leaders, including Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.

In his speech, PM Modi urged global collaboration to reduce emissions and advocated for a 'green credit' initiative focused on developing carbon sinks.