Hashtag Melodi reflects intense India-Italy ties: Envoy

New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Hashtag Melodi is viral as it corresponds to a widespread sentiment and reflects the unprecedented intensity in bilateral relations between India and Italy, said Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy to India, on Saturday. 

“Everywhere I go, I have been told – Oh Melodi. I have been told by taxi drivers and hotel concierges. It has become so deep-rooted,” Bartoli told IANS.

A brainchild of the Italian PM, hashtag Melodi was formed by combining the surnames of both Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Indian PM Narendra Modi. The hashtag broke the internet with over 1,280 million impressions on X over three days last year.

Talking about the popularity of the Hashtag Melodi, the Ambassador said, “It has become so rooted because we are very similar in values, we are two democracies, and we give a lot of importance to family, friends, and food.”

Highlighting the growing relations between India and Italy, the Ambassador said, “India is on top of the agenda in discussions in Italy among companies, academia and think tanks.”

Reflecting on the India-Italian relations, the Ambassador said the relations between the two countries are the best “we could have” as we have a “strategic partnership” and the two Prime Ministers signed a joint action plan to give projects to the partnership, covering all the sectors including defence, space, connectivity, tourism, digital and energy transmission and people-to-people.

“It is an unprecedented season in our bilateral relationship and it is thanks to the inputs the two Prime Ministers are giving,” said Bartoli.

“The two Prime Ministers have met five times in just two years, which speaks volumes about the chemistry between the two leaders,” he said.

He highlighted that there are many complementarities that have added to the chemistry between the countries.

The Ambassador also hailed as historic and emotional the arrival of the Italian Navy’s 92-year-old training ship Amerigo Vespucci in Mumbai.

He also visited the training vessel docked at Mumbai port. The ship was open to the local public for a day. This is the third port call in India by an Italian Navy vessel in 18 months, reflecting the importance Italy gives to the Indo-Pacific region.