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    EYE ON INDIA                                                              MAY 29, 2026     |  The Indian Eye                    6

                            Modi’s Italy Visit Brings

               Diplomatic Gains, but ‘Melodi’

                                    Optics Trigger a Row

            Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Italy visit produced major diplomatic and agricultural achievements,

                   even as opposition leaders questioned the political messaging and optics surrounding the trip.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                 reduction. “A United Nations Organisation has
                                                                                                       recognised the contribution of our Prime Minister,
            Rome / New Delhi
                                                                                                       mainly in the area of agriculture, food, and food
                  rime Minister Narendra Modi returned from                                            security,” Chand said.
                  Italy with significant diplomatic and econom-                                           Similarly, ASSOCHAM Chief Economist SP
            Pic gains, including the elevation of India-Ita-                                           Sharma argued that India’s agricultural growth
            ly ties to a “Special Strategic Partnership” and the                                       and reforms had gained international recognition.
            prestigious FAO Agricola Medal. Yet the visit also                                         According to Sharma, “our agriculture is now be-
            generated controversy at home, where critics ac-                                           coming sustainable” due to reforms, digital public
            cused the Prime Minister of focusing excessively on                                        infrastructure and agricultural transformation pro-
            image-building and social media-friendly moments                                           grammes introduced over the past decade.
            during a period of rising inflation and fuel prices.                                          Yet the visit also exposed the risks of highly
                The  Italy  leg  of  Modi’s  five-nation  tour                                         personalised diplomacy in the age of social media.
            emerged as both a diplomatic success and a politi-                                            A widely circulated interaction between Modi
            cal flashpoint. On one hand, the visit strengthened                                        and Meloni revived the viral “Melodi” trend online
            India’s engagement with Europe at a time of glob-                                          after Modi reportedly gifted Meloni a packet of
            al geopolitical churn. On the other, a seemingly                                           Melody toffees. While supporters saw the gesture
            light-hearted  exchange  involving  Italian  Prime                                         as informal diplomacy and personal rapport-build-
            Minister Giorgia Meloni and “Melody” chocolates                                            ing, critics viewed it as political theatre.
            sparked a fierce domestic debate over leadership                                              Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge launched
            style and political priorities.                                                            a sharp attack on the Prime Minister, accusing him
                The most substantive outcome of the visit was                                          of prioritising “content” over governance.
            the formal elevation of India-Italy relations to a                                            “A remedy for the energy and economic crisis
            “Special  Strategic  Partnership.”  The  two  coun-                                        could wait. But Melody for Ms. Meloni can’t be
            tries expanded cooperation in trade, defence, con-                                         late,” Kharge wrote on social media. He further
            nectivity, artificial intelligence, education, energy   Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Italian   alleged that Modi was attempting to distract the
            and critical technologies. Several Memorandums                                             public from inflation, fuel price hikes and econom-
            of Understanding were signed in sectors ranging   Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the joint press statement,   ic anxieties through “silly reels” and carefully craft-
            from agriculture and mobility to defence manufac-  in Rome on Wednesday (Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo)  ed optics.
            turing and technological collaboration.                                                       Kharge’s criticism tapped into a larger opposi-
                For India, the upgraded partnership reflects a   tor-General Qu Dongyu.                tion argument that Modi’s leadership style increas-
            broader strategic shift. As Europe seeks to diver-  The Agricola Medal is among the FAO’s high-  ingly relies on spectacle, branding and digital en-
            sify supply chains and reduce dependence on Chi-  est honours and is awarded to leaders who make   gagement. The Congress party has often accused
            na, India is positioning itself as a trusted economic   notable contributions to global agriculture, food   the Prime  Minister of transforming  governance
            and geopolitical partner. Italy, with its strong man-  systems and hunger eradication. Modi dedicated   into a personality-driven political performance.
            ufacturing base and growing interest in Indo-Pa-  the  honour  to  India’s  farmers,  livestock  rearers,   The controversy gained traction because it co-
            cific affairs, has become increasingly important to   fisheries workers, scientists and innovators, calling   incided with a fresh rise in fuel prices across ma-
            New Delhi’s European outreach.                them the backbone of the country’s food security   jor Indian cities. Petrol and diesel prices increased
                The visit also underscored Modi’s attempt to   system.                                 again this week amid rising global crude oil prices
            deepen India’s engagement with middle powers     Supporters of the government described the   linked to tensions in West Asia and disruptions
            beyond the traditional US-centric framework. By   award as global recognition of India’s agricultural   around the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude prices
            visiting countries such as Sweden, Norway, the   transformation over the past decade. Agricultural   remaining above USD 100 per barrel have intensi-
            Netherlands and Italy in a single tour, India sig-  economist Ramesh Chand said the honour reflect-  fied domestic economic concerns.
            nalled its desire to broaden economic and techno-  ed “the achievements of India and various policy   This timing complicated the political optics of
            logical partnerships across Europe.           initiatives taken by PM Modi during his tenure of   the Italy visit. Even as the government celebrated
                However, the headline moment of the Italy   12 years as Prime Minister.”               diplomatic and agricultural achievements abroad,
            visit came at the headquarters of the Food and   He noted that the award is generally reserved   opposition parties questioned whether the leader-
            Agriculture Organization in Rome, where Modi   for leaders associated with “extraordinary achieve-  ship appeared disconnected from economic stress
            was conferred the Agricola Medal by FAO Direc-  ment” in agriculture, food security  and  poverty   at home.

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