'Melodi' moment in Rome: Meloni welcomes 'friend' PM Modi with selfie and a warm message

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni connected Tuesday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his accomplishment successful Rome for the last limb of his five-nation tour.Sharing a representation with PM Modi connected X, Meloni wrote, "Welcome to Rome, my friend!"

The sojourn marks a cardinal diplomatic engagement arsenic India and Italy look to reenforce bilateral ties and elevate their narration to a peculiar strategical partnership, an Italian authorities authoritative said.Like respective European nations, Italy has been seeking deeper engagement with India amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. The European Union earlier this twelvemonth finalised a long-pending commercialized statement with India, aimed successful portion astatine reducing dependence connected the United States, Reuters reported.Click present to get unrecorded updates connected PM Modi's sojourn PM Modi's sojourn is his archetypal bilateral travel to Italy, though helium had earlier travelled to the state for the G7 acme successful 2024 and the G20 gathering 3 years ago.

During his stay, helium is scheduled to conscionable Meloni connected Wednesday astatine the historical 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili.In a station connected X aft landing successful Rome, PM Modi said discussions would absorption connected strengthening India-Italy cooperation, peculiarly successful the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).IMEC, launched done a 2023 memorandum involving partners including the European Union and the United States, aims to make integrated commercialized routes connecting India with the Arabian Gulf and Europe.

Also Read | Italy & India: A Strategic Partnership For The Indo-MediterraneanBoth leaders are expected to follow a associated declaration to deepen the strategical partnership, including yearly summit-level meetings and a people of reaching 20 cardinal euros ($23.2 billion) successful bilateral commercialized by 2029, the authoritative said.Bilateral commercialized betwixt the 2 countries stood astatine implicit 14 cardinal euros successful 2023, according to the Italian embassy successful New Delhi.India and Italy, which upgraded their ties to a strategical concern successful 2023, person expanded practice crossed sectors including artificial intelligence, technological research, trade, and defence.During the visit, PM Modi and Meloni volition besides be a moving luncheon with elder executives from starring Indian and Italian concern groups to research opportunities successful investment, technology, and manufacturing.A bid of agreements are expected to beryllium signed covering maritime transport, agriculture, higher education, captious minerals, depository cooperation, and efforts to combat economical and fiscal crime, the authoritative added.The 2 leaders volition besides speech views connected cardinal planetary issues, including the Middle East conflict, the Ukraine warfare and information successful the Indo-Pacific region.PM Modi besides said helium is scheduled to conscionable Italian President Sergio Mattarella and sojourn the office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).PM Modi received a lukewarm reception from the Indian diaspora upon his accomplishment successful Rome. He interacted with assemblage members and witnessed taste performances astatine his hotel.A coating of the ghats of Varanasi, created by an Italian creator inspired by Indian culture, was besides presented to the Prime Minister, symbolising taste ties betwixt the 2 countries.PM Modi's sojourn comes amid increasing momentum successful India-Italy relations, with some sides advancing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 covering trade, defence, energy, innovation and people-to-people exchanges.Earlier successful his tour, PM Modi visited Norway, pursuing stops successful Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.