In an unconventional scene on the sidelines of international summits, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni caught the attention with their friendly and playful interactions, which transcended formal protocol to become a remarkable phenomenon on social media, where they are dubbed 'The Most Famous Couple on Instagram'.
During the G7 summit in France, the two leaders shared moments of humor as they arrived for the traditional group photo in Évian-les-Bains. A video captured the moment they greeted each other, as Modi joked with Meloni about their fame on social media.
Meloni's response was clear over the microphone, as she smiled and said, 'Yes, we are the most famous couple on Instagram.'
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a working session at the G7 summit in France (AP)
These friendly interactions, which recur between the two leaders on the sidelines of international meetings, sparked a wide wave of engagement online, including humorous images, fan edits, widely shared posts, and even created a specific trend named 'Melodi', a blend of their last names.
This phenomenon began when the two leaders met for the first time at the G20 summit in Bali in 2023, and then met again in New Delhi later in the same year. The engagement peaked in December 2023 when Meloni posted a 'selfie' with Modi during the 28th COP in Dubai, accompanied by the hashtag #Melodi.
In a notable recent development, Modi gifted the Italian leader a bag of famous Indian 'Melodi' sweets during his visit to Rome, in a lighthearted gesture that sparked widespread engagement on social media.
A video posted by Meloni showed Modi handing her the sweets amid laughter, as she remarked, 'Thank you for the gift.' The video quickly went viral.
Both leaders are among the most prominent and popular figures online; Modi has around 107 million followers on 'X', while Meloni has nearly 3.3 million followers. Their joint appearances enhance their media presence as leaders who effectively use digital platforms to connect with the public.