PM Modi shared photos from his meeting with Giorgia Meloni as his first standalone bilateral Italy visit shifts focus to trade, Imec connectivity and deeper strategic cooperation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in Rome for the fifth and final stop of his five-nation tour, on Wednesday shared photos from his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The visit is the final, crucial stop of PM Modi’s extensive tour. While previous visits by the Prime Minister to Italy were tied to multilateral gatherings like the G7 and G20, this stands as his first official, standalone bilateral visit to the country.
The formal diplomatic engagement kicked off with a uniquely structured evening. Following his arrival from Oslo, Norway, where he attended the 3rd India-Nordic Summit, PM Modi was hosted by Meloni for a private dinner.
In a departure from standard, rigid bureaucratic protocols, the two leaders toured Rome’s iconic, historic Colosseum together late into the evening.
“Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum,” PM Modi shared in a morning post on X. “We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship.”
The personal rapport between the two leaders, which has consistently generated viral engagement on global social media platforms.
Upon landing in Rome, had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Meloni over dinner followed by a visit to the iconic Colosseum. We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the… pic.twitter.com/df0bDYKCdU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 20, 2026
Translating optics into policy
Beyond the historic setting and ceremonial optics, the heart of the Modi-Meloni summit lies in advancing the ambitious five-year Joint Strategic Action Plan for 2025–2029. With bilateral trade touching a record $16.77 billion over the past year, both leaders are looking to further deepen economic ties and lock in long-term strategic cooperation across key sectors.
A major focus of the discussions is expected to be the execution of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec), with both sides keen to fast-track infrastructure planning and operational blueprints for the project. New Delhi and Rome see Imec as a transparent and reliable trade route that could significantly strengthen connectivity between India and mainland Europe through the Middle East.
Defence and security cooperation is also high on the agenda, with talks likely to centre on expanding co-production of military hardware and strengthening maritime security coordination. At the same time, both countries are expected to push their green strategic partnership forward through collaboration on clean hydrogen, green shipping and building resilient supply chains.
Food security is another important pillar of the summit. PM Modi’s scheduled visit to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation headquarters in Rome is expected to reinforce shared zero-hunger initiatives and underline India and Italy’s broader commitment to multilateral cooperation on global food resilience.
Upon arriving at his hotel, PM Modi was greeted by a massive,
festive gathering of the Indian diaspora and local Italian Indophiles.
The Prime Minister took time to spotlight Italy’s deep, historic fascination with Indian civilisation. He specifically shared his interaction with Giampaolo Tomassetti, a renowned Italian painter who has spent over four decades studying Vedic culture and painting massive canvases detailing scenes from the Mahabharat. Tomassetti presented the Prime Minister with a custom artwork capturing the ancient, spiritual ghats of Varanasi, which Modi affectionately called “a glimpse of Kashi in Rome.”
First Published:
May 20, 2026, 10:00 IST
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