Parle's 'sweet' response after PM Modi's Melody gift to Meloni goes viral

Parle Products, the company behind the iconic Melody toffee, has reacted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni a packet of the candy in what many online saw as a reference to the viral “#Melodi” trend linked to the two leaders.

“Sweetening relationships since 1983,” Parle said in an Instagram post while sharing a video of PM Modi presenting Meloni with a pack of Melody toffees.

Take a look at the post here:

The “melodious” exchange went viral after Meloni herself shared a video of the interaction and thanked PM Modi for the gift.

In the clip, Meloni can also be heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought us a gift...very, very good toffee,” as the two leaders laughed.

The post soon triggered memes, fan edits and social media jokes, turning “#Melodi” into one of the Internet’s most enduring political pop-culture trends.

The “#Melodi” moment unfolded during PM Modi’s visit to Rome for the fifth and final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour. During the trip, PM Modi met Giorgia Meloni over dinner and later accompanied her to the iconic Colosseum. He also received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Rome and thanked the community for its role in strengthening ties between India and Italy.

The “#Melodi” phenomenon has been circulating online for around three years. The phrase - a blend of Modi and Meloni’s surnames - first gained massive attention during the COP28 summit in Dubai in 2023, when Meloni posted a selfie with PM Modi captioned: “Good friends at COP28 #Melodi.”