PM Modi, Giorgia Meloni meet briefly ahead of G20 Summit in South Africa

Prime Minister Modi briefly met Italian PM Giorgia Meloni at the G20 Summit in South Africa. Their warm exchange reflected the growing friendship between India and Italy, strengthened through recent meetings, personal messages, and mutual admiration shown in public statements.

Johannesburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday briefly met Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni just ahead of the opening session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit at Nasrec in South Africa.

Both leaders shook hands and exchanged warm greetings, displaying the strong rapport that has deeply strengthened India-Italy friendship over the past few years. PM Modi is among several prominent world leaders attending the November 22-23 summit.

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PM Modi had last met Meloni on the sidelines of the 51st G7 Summit in Canada’s Kananaskis in June, where both leaders had committed to making the friendship between India and Italy stronger.

In September, PM Modi called the Italian PM an “extraordinary political leader who combines ideas and heart”, described her autobiography as a “Mann Ki Baat”, or ideas from the heart.

In the preface to the book titled ‘I Am Giorgia’, PM Modi emphasised the closeness between India and Italy, founded on what he writes as “shared civilising instincts, such as the defence of heritage, the strength of community, and the celebration of femininity as a guiding force”.

Reciprocating the feelings, Meloni had mentioned that the bond between both nations remains quite strong.

“The words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for whom I have profound respect, in his preface to the Indian edition of the book ‘I Am Giorgia’, deeply touch and honour me. These are sentiments that I sincerely reciprocate, with all my heart, and which testify to the strong bond between our nations,” Meloni was quoted as saying by Italian news agency Adnkronos.

PM Modi’s preface to the book, which Adnkronos said it was able to read, stands out for its personal and symbolic tone as the Indian leader links this message to his personal friendship with Meloni and their shared ability to combine tradition and modernity.